What public records exist from the LAPD and Santa Barbara investigations into Corey Feldman's allegations?
Executive summary
Publicly available records tied to Corey Feldman’s 1993 contacts with law enforcement consist primarily of Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office statements acknowledging the discovery of detective working tapes — including a 1993 audio interview of Feldman — and media reports that those audio files were turned over to the Los Angeles Police Department; the Sheriff’s Office has said it will not release evidence or documents because the matter involves alleged sexual abuse of a minor and is therefore confidential [1] [2] [3]. The LAPD opened a probe after Feldman’s 2017 complaint and interviewed him, but public reporting indicates that the LAPD later closed at least one investigation citing the statute of limitations, and no public transcripts or full recordings have been released in the record provided [4] [5] [2].
1. Santa Barbara’s discovered detective “working copies” — what exists on paper and tape
Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office publicly acknowledged that, after media inquiries, staff conducted an additional review of archived material from their Michael Jackson investigation and located detective working copies of audio recordings that included a 1993 interview of Corey Feldman; the office confirmed the physical existence of those audio files and said a copy was located in a container with original reports [2] [1] [4]. The Sheriff’s Office simultaneously limited what it would disclose, telling reporters that because the matter involves alleged sexual abuse of a child, it cannot comment further and that documentation or evidence related to the case is exempt from release under those confidentiality rules [3] [2].
2. LAPD’s role and the status of their investigation in public reports
After Feldman brought allegations to public attention in 2017, the LAPD took a formal statement and opened an investigation; reporting states the audio located by Santa Barbara was turned over to the LAPD for review [4] [1]. Multiple outlets reported the LAPD later closed at least one investigation into Feldman’s claims because the statute of limitations had expired, with media summaries indicating the department could interview and investigate but not necessarily secure prosecution due to timing [2] [4] [5]. Public reporting does not show that the LAPD released investigative reports, transcripts, or the audio itself into the public domain.
3. What has not been produced publicly — limits of the existing record
There is no indication in the assembled reporting that either a transcript of Feldman’s 1993 interview or the audio content itself has been publicly released by either the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Office or the LAPD; the Sheriff’s Office explicitly cited confidentiality and exemption from release for evidence involving alleged child sexual abuse, and press stories repeatedly note that details are being withheld for that reason [3] [1] [2]. Because the sources are news accounts and official statements rather than court filings or posted records, the precise contents, the names Feldman says he gave in 1993, and any detective notes beyond the existence of “working copies” remain outside the public record summarized here [4] [6].
4. Conflicting public statements and media framing — why reporting changed
Initial media outreach in 2017 prompted Santa Barbara to say their records “did not indicate” Feldman had named suspects, but within days the Sheriff’s Office reversed course, announcing it had located audio recordings of the 1993 interview and had turned a copy over to LAPD; this chain is documented across outlets that first reported the denial and then the discovery [7] [8] [4]. Journalists and public officials noted the reversal; independent outlets and commentators also flagged Feldman’s simultaneous fundraising and production efforts to make a film about alleged abuse as context that shaped public skepticism and coverage [8] [9].
5. Bottom line and reporting limits — what a researcher can and cannot verify from these sources
From the available reporting, the verifiable public records are an official Sheriff’s Office statement acknowledging discovery of 1993 detective audio copies including Feldman’s interview and media confirmation that those tapes were turned over to LAPD, along with LAPD statements or reporting that an LAPD probe occurred and at least one inquiry was closed due to the statute of limitations; however, neither agency appears to have released the interview transcript, audio content, or detailed investigatory files into the public domain in the materials cited here, and the sources do not provide independent verification of the tape’s contents beyond agency statements [2] [1] [4] [5]. Researchers seeking the underlying audio, transcripts, or formal investigative files should note that the Sheriff’s Office has explicitly stated such materials are exempt from release because they relate to alleged child sexual abuse [3].