Arrest warrant issued for Michael Jackson on allegations of child molestation

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. — Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Michael Jackson on multiple counts of molesting a child and asked the pop superstar to turn in his passport and surrender, law enforcement officials said today.

"At this point in time, Mr. Jackson has been given an opportunity to surrender himself to the custody of the Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department within a specified period of time," Sheriff Jim Anderson told a news conference. "We are currently working with Mr. Jackson's legal representation on this matter.

"I believe he's willing to cooperate with us."

Bail for Jackson would be set at $3 million, Anderson said.

District Attorney Thomas W. Sneddon Jr. said he wouldn't release details about the alleged crimes except to say that there was only one victim and that the victim was cooperating.

In 1993, Jackson had faced a child molestation investigation that never resulted in criminal charges because the child refused to testify. Jackson reportedly paid a multimillion dollar settlement in that case but maintained his innocence.

The arrest warrant Sneddon discussed today was for violation of a California law that prohibits lewd or lascivious acts with a child under age 14. A conviction carries three to eight years in prison.

Sneddon said an affidavit outlining details of the case will be sealed for 45 days. He would not say how many charges Jackson would face.

As many as 70 law enforcement officials served a search warrant at Jackson's Neverland Ranch on Tuesday and searched for evidence for more than 12 hours. The $12.3 million Neverland Ranch in the Santa Ynez Valley has a mansion, its own zoo and amusement park, and has often been the site of children's parties.

Search warrants also were served for two other locations in Southern California, Anderson said. He did not disclose the other two locations.

Earlier today, a spokesman for Jackson, Stuart Backerman, told The Associated Press that he was consulting with attorneys and planned to issue a statement later in the day.

He declined further comment, saying neither he nor Jackson knew the details of the investigation.

Jackson, who reportedly was in Las Vegas when the search warrant was served, denounced media coverage in a statement earlier released to The Associated Press by Backerman.

"I've seen lawyers who don't represent me and spokespeople who do not know me speaking for me. These characters always seem to surface with dreadful allegations just as another project, an album, a video is being released," the Jackson statement said, referring to Tuesday's release of a greatest hits album, "Number Ones."

The Jackson family was aware of the arrest warrant, said Steve Manning, a family spokesman.

"It's very unfortunate. They feel very bad about it, but they support him wholeheartedly," Manning said.

In a television documentary broadcast on ABC earlier this year, Jackson said he had slept in a bed with many children. "When you say bed you're thinking sexual," the singer said during the interview. "It's not sexual, we're going to sleep. I tuck them in. ... It's very charming, it's very sweet."

Jackson caused an international uproar last year when he displayed his baby, Prince Michael II, to fans by dangling him briefly from a fourth-floor balcony in Germany. Jackson called the incident a "terrible mistake," and Berlin authorities said the actions were not punishable.

The singer had international hits with the albums "Thriller" (1982), "Bad" (1987) and "Dangerous" (1991) saw his career begin to collapse after the 1993 allegations.

His last studio album, "Invincible," sold about 2 million copies in the United States — great for most artists, especially veteran stars, but only so-so for the man who bills himself as the King of Pop.