Scott Baio Sexual Assault Charges Declined by Prosecutors

Scott Baio will not face legal action over his alleged sexual assault of Nicole Eggert, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office formally announced Monday, saying the statute of limitations had expired.

Baio and Eggert have battled it out in the headlines for months. It seemed like only a matter of time until the fight ended up in court, but according to a report by TMZ, the case can't be prosecuted because it is past the statute of limitations.The Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney has opted not to go after Baio.

Eggert has told her story several times since January. She was emboldened by the Me Too movement and the Time's Up campaign, and decided to share her story so that other people wouldn't have to go through what she did. After she alluded to her story on Twitter, she went on camera on Dr. Oz and Megyn Kelly Today to tell her side. She said that she knew no legal action would be taken, and she simply wanted to raise awareness for other women.

"I always knew this case was beyond statutes of limitations and unfortunately the DA would not be able to prosecute Scott Baio," she told TMZ. "However I also knew the importance of laying the groundwork for any future victims of Baio's that may come forward and to warn parents who might unknowingly allow their children to be alone with this molester."

"I could no longer keep up the lie he conditioned me into," she went on, "and felt it a Mother's responsibility to put the truth out there."

Baio has repeatedly denied all of Eggert's accusations. He agreed that they had sex once, but said that it was after she had turned 18. In the early months of this year, Baio used his social media clout to attack Eggert's character on multiple occasions.

Eggert accused Baio of molesting her between the ages of 14 and 17, while the two were co-stars on Charles in Charge. Rumors that the two had a romance have existed for many years, and Eggert had often defended Baio from accusations of misconduct. Earlier this year, she said she was finally able to be honest about the situation.

"I can't say that it was horrible because I was a teenager, and he was sort of creating this crush and this relationship between us," she said on Dr. Oz. "I hadn't experienced any of these things before, so it was strange, and in a weird way OK — or I thought it was OK."

"[Baio] was very clear nobody could know, and that it was illegal and that everyone could lose their job, including myself," she said.