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Allegations: Actor Stephen Collins is  under investigation for accusations of child molestation

The actor who played Reverend Eric Camden, the virtuous father on long-running family drama 7th Heaven, is under investigation for child molestation.

In a recorded marriage therapy session, actor Stephen Collins admits that he exposed himself to several young girls between the ages of 10 and 13 in both Los Angeles and New York. 

Following the tapes release by TMZ on Tuesday, Collins life and career started falling apart as he resigned from his position on the Screen Actors Guild board and was fired from Ted 2. 

An NYPD official confirmed to MailOnline that they received a complaint and the Special Victims Squad is investigating.

A law enforcement source told TMZ that Collins is suspected of having 'inappropriate sexual contact' with 'at least three' minor victims. 

The LAPD is also re-opening their own investigation into Collins, and will be collaborating with New York authorities.

Law enforcement in California received the therapy session recordings two years ago but closed their case after finding 'no verified victim'.

The 67-year-old actor allegedly made a written confession to his now ex-wife Faye Grant in 2012, which sparked the therapy session.

Grant secretly recorded the session under the advisement of her lawyer, who told her it was legal in California to record conversations in order to gather evidence on a person who has committed a violent felony.

In the recording, a man with Collins' distinct voice admits exposing himself to an 10-year-old relative of his first wife Marjorie Weinman. Collins and Weinman divorced in 1978. He also confessed to touching the young relative. 

'There was one moment of touching where her hand...I put her her hand on my penis,' Collins says. 

That incident of molestation was actually reported in 2012, and can still be prosecuted since the statute of limitations starts at the date of reporting. 

Collins is best known for his role as Rev Eric Camden, patriarch of the do-gooder Camden clan, on the long-running drama 7th Heaven. Jessica Biel, top right in left image, was an early star of the decade-long show. Collins' now ex-wife Faye Grant (pictured together on the right in 2011) recorded a marriage therapy session in 2012 in which the actor admits to exposing himself to several underage girls

Collins goes on to admit exposing himself to several others girls. 

He says he exposed one girl 'a couple of times' when she was 11, 12 and 13. 

'When you exposed yourself...did you have an erection?' Grant then asks. 

'No, I mean, no. Partial, maybe, I think,' Collins responds. 

Collins says he also exposed himself to a girl who lived in their Los Angeles neighborhood, who he tried apologizing to years later, and a New York girl who was 12 or 13 at the time.  

An NYPD source has confirmed to TMZ that they are in possession of the tape, and last Wednesday two members of their Special Victims Unit flew to L.A. to interview Grant.

They allegedly questioned her about the tape and other potential witnesses. 

In one part of the session, Collins confesses to molesting a 11-year-old relative of his first wife Marjorie Weinman. Pictured above in a still from 7th Heaven with actress Jessica Biel 

The woman who triggered the NYPD investigation allegedly told cops that she would sometimes stay with Collins and his first wife at their New York City apartment when she was 10. Since Collins and Weinman were married from 1970 - 1978, that woman is likely around 46 to 54 years old today. 

She said he would often come into the guest room, where she slept, after taking a shower and only wearing a towel.

He then exposed himself to her, and would make the victim put her hand on his penis. She says he also touched and rubbed her. The victim tried to prevent these attacks by pretending to be asleep.

It was only when she saw Collins on a TV show in the 90s that the woman first told her husband about the childhood abuse.

In 2000, she sent an anonymous letter to Collins' then-wife Faye Grant, telling her he was a child molester.

But it wasn't until late 2011 that she ever received a response, after Collins confessed about his past sexual abuse.

Grant sent the woman an email saying: 'Stephen lied when confronted 12 years ago. He said he had a hole in his holey jeans, as was the style then, and you "must have" seen his genitalia one time.'

'Stephen is not remorseful, shows no guilt, and his shame is demonstrated as extreme self pity. He wails and cries, "I'm in so much paaaaaain!!!"'

Collins was fired from the film Ted 2 on Tuesday, after news of the recordings broke. He excitedly tweeted about getting a small role in the Mark Wahlberg comedy just a few days ago 

It's still unclear how TMZ obtained the tapes, as Collins' estranged wife Grant told E! News she did not leak it.  

'I woke up today to learn that an extremely private recording I handed over to the authorities in 2012 per their request in connection with a criminal investigation was recently disseminated to the press. I had no involvement whatsoever with the release of the tape to the media,' Grant said.

Grant added to TMZ that she is 'sickened by Stephen’s actions. I have urged Stephen multiple times to seek treatment for pedophilia, but he has refused to seek proper help or hospitalization for the predilection toward children.'

Collins announced his divorce from Grant in May 2012, issuing a statement saying they were 'moving forward separately in our lives'.

'She has been my dearest friend and a loving mother,' Collins said. 'I know that we'll go through this process in a way that honors our family.'

The divorce papers came as a shock to Grant who said she was both surprised and devastated.

'I wish him the very best in whatever path he chooses to take. Twenty-seven years of marriage in Hollywood is the equivalent of 189 dog years. I was exhausted,' she responded.

Their seemingly amicable split quickly deteriorated, however, once they started dividing up the assets.

The NYPD has a copy of the therapy session recordings and are allegedly investigating the claims. Collins pictured above in more stills from 7th Heaven

In their highly contentious divorce proceedings, Grant argued that she had stayed home during her peak acting years to raise their daughter Kate  and now couldn't book a job to support herself.

Meanwhile, Collins was raking in acting job after acting job making nearly $500,000 just in 2013 for appearances on the TV shows Revolution, Devious Maids, Scandal and The Fosters.

Grant said she grew used to upper-class living during her nearly three decades married to Collins, when they made between $1 and $3million a year.

Collins made an unfortunate reference to Woody Allen in a tweet two years ago. The director has been accused of molestation by his biological daughter 

She asked for an unspecified amount of spousal support, half of their $6million bank account and half the value of their two properties in Brentwood, California.

Collins next role was in American Repertory Theater's production of O.P.C' alongside Oscar-winner Melissa Leo, but he dropped out two weeks ago due to 'scheduling conflicts'

The startling revelation has also led to the actor's firing from the movie Ted 2, just a few days after he excitedly tweeted about getting a small role in the Mark Wahlberg comedy, Entertainment Weekly reports. 

Collins previously held a position on the National Board of the Screen Actors Guild but resigned today following the news of the investigation, a SAG/AFTRA official told TMZ.