Say it ain't so......Cast of movie filming in Aiken includes registered sex offender

Cast of movie filming in Aiken includes registered sex offender

6:03 PM Oct 23, 2006
Diane Cho

October 23, 2006



Despite pleading no contest in Florida to hiring a 14-year-old boy to pose for sexually explicit photos, actor Jeffrey Jones is still working in your backyard.

He's in Aiken filming the upcoming film "Who's Your Caddy?"

The filmmakers are inviting the community to come out to the set with Mr. Jones.

In fact, they're encouraging everyone to come out to the set this week to be a part of the movie and see the behind-the-scenes action, as well as get up close and personal with the actors.

But now that some are learning about Mr. Jones' rap sheet, they say not a chance.

He's starred in a long line of box office hits, including Tim Burton's "Sleepy Hollow"--in which he played a reverend.

Now he's bringing some big baggage with the big budgets, right here in Aiken.

"You'd think because it's Hollywood that they'd have more dignity than that," said neighbor Joel Williams.

Jones pled no contest in 2002 after he was accused of hiring a 14-year-old boy to pose for sexually explicit photos. He was arrested again in 2004 for failing to register as a sex offender in Florida.

So what do the extras have to say about his rap sheet?

Most knew nothing about it.

"I don't have a comment, I don't know enough about it," said extra Joe Bends.

Dave Long, one of the extras who lives in North Augusta, says it doesn't bother him at all: "I'm a little too old to worry about that," he said.

But the neighbors who live near the New Bridge Polo Field where the film is being shot are not as nonchalant.

"That makes me very angry, this is what we moved here to avoid," Williams said.

All of them agree that either the film's producers or the sheriff's office should have notified neighbors in advance so they could be on alert.

"Because they were asking to bring family for crowd scenes I'm assuming they'll ring their children," Aiken resident Hermine Seckinger said. "I think that would've made them think twice. It would've made me think twice."

The $10 million film is expected to wrap in about a month, with most of it being shot in Aiken.

The Florida Department of Corrections says Jeffrey Jones has been taken off supervision or any other court ordered sanction.

It's been four years since the whole ordeal began. After he pled no contest in 2002, he was released on a $20,000 bail. He was then placed on the sex offender registry and given five years probation.

We're talking about an actor here that many of you have seen before.

Jeffery Jones may be most well known as the principal in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off".

He also played the emperor in "Amadeus", Charles in Beetle Juice.

Jones also made appearances in "Stuart Little" and "Doctor Dolittle 2".

His most recent roles have been on television shows, including HBO's "Deadwood".