Porn star Ron Jeremy faces 20 more sex charges, one involving 15-year-old

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Porn star Ron Jeremy was charged on Monday with 20 additional counts of rape and sexual assault, including one involving a 15- year-old girl, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office said.

Jeremy, 67, one of the biggest names in the adult film industry, was charged in June with raping three women and sexually assaulting a fourth in incidents dating back to 2014.

The new charges bring the number of his alleged victims to 17, ranging from 15-54 years old, and span a 16-year period, the District Attorney's office said in a statement.

Jeremy on Monday pleaded not guilty in a court appearance in Los Angeles. He also pleaded not guilty to the previous charges and wrote on Twitter then: “I can’t wait to prove my innocence in court! Thank you to everyone for all the support.”

Jeremy is charged with sexually assaulting the 15 year-old at a party north of Los Angeles in 2004. Many of the other incidents are alleged to have taken place at a West Hollywood bar he frequented, the statement said.

If convicted as charged, Jeremy faces a possible maximum prison sentence of more than 250 years to life.

Jeremy has appeared in more than 2,000 adult films starting in the 1970s.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant; Editing by Howard Goller)