Convicted child molester and filmmaker Victor Salva has had the casting notice of his upcoming film removed due to his criminal past.
Jeepers Creepers III is scheduled for production in Canada this year, but the project has hit a roadblock after officials at talent agency Breakdown Services pulled its casting notice.
"Upon learning of this notice and our own verification of the facts surrounding Salva's conviction, Breakdown Services has removed this project from its files," a statement from the company reads.
"All submissions made by any agent on this project are no longer available to the casting director nor any member of the production staff."
Salva was convicted in 1988 of committing and videotaping sexual misconduct with a 12-year-old boy who featured in his movie Clownhouse. He also pleaded guilty to lewd and lascivious conduct, oral sex with a person under 14 years old and procuring a child for pornography.
He was sentenced to three years in prison but was released after serving only 15 months, before completing his parole in 1992. Salva went on to direct cult horror hit Jeepers Creepers in 2001 and its sequel in 2003.
The casting notice on Breakdown Services for Jeepers Creepers III sought an 18-year-old actress to play a 13-year-old girl who flees her sexually-inappropriate stepfather.
"It has recently come to our attention that a casting breakdown has gone out for a feature film entitled Jeepers Creepers III, and that the director of the film, Victor Salva, was convicted of sexual misconduct in 1988," an alert from the Union of British Columbia Performers reads.
"The conviction allegedly resulted from misconduct involving a minor whom Mr Salva was directing at the time. At this time we would like to remind our members and their agents that, under Article A2702 (Safety & Welfare of a Minor) of the BC Master Production Agreement, a performer has the right to refuse work if they believe that the nature of the work is unsafe."
Salva has not commented on the news.
Newshub.