Joseph Gatt Speaks Out Over Arrest for Sexually Explicit Messages to Minor

Game of Thrones actor Joseph Gatt has broken his silence after he was arrested amid allegations he sent sexually explicit messages to a minor.

The 50-year-old was taken into custody on April 6 by officers serving in the Juvenile Division, Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.

The task force received information Gatt had been "engaged in online sexually explicit communication with a minor across state lines," LAPD said.

"He was subsequently arrested by detectives for an outstanding felony warrant for California Penal Code 288.3(a)—Contact with a Minor for Sexual Offense," read a statement on the law enforcement agency's website.

LAPD is seeking to identify any other possible victims.

Gatt took to Twitter on Wednesday evening, a week after his arrest, to profess his innocence, calling the accusations "categorically wrong and reckless."

He wrote: "I obviously want to address the absolutely horrifying and completely untrue allegations recently leveled against me. They are 100 percent categorically wrong and reckless.

"I have confirmed errors and misleading information in today's press release. I am fully cooperating with police and LAPD to get to the bottom of this.

"I look forward to clearing my good name. Thank you to all my friends and supporters who know that this is untrue and understand for legal reasons I cannot comment further on social media."

Gatt's partner, Mercy Malick, posted the actor's statement on her Instagram account as she branded the allegations leveled against him "beyond insane."

"So much love to everyone who have already reached out in support of Joe & myself," she wrote. "Those who know us obviously know that the allegations against him are beyond insane."

TMZ has reported that Gatt, who played Thenn Warg in Game of Thrones, was released on the same day as his arrest on $5,000 bail.

As well as being a part of the Game of Thrones cast, London-born Gatt has also appeared in the movies Dumbo (2019), Thor (2011), and Star Trek Into the Darkness (2013). He is also set to appear alongside Dwayne Johnson in the film Black Adam.

While promoting Dumbo—in which he portrayed hunter Neils Skellig—Gatt was asked by Screen Rant's then-features editor Mansoor Mithaiwala if he was prepared for children to be scared of him due to his villainous role in the family film.

"I cannot wait," he responded. "I've done a lot of things, like you said, where I've played the villain. But I try to—like social media's great for this—show the world that I'm an actor and I actually love animals.

"And I'm kind of a silly person, I work out, I love my girlfriend and I love animals. I'm doing all these fun things. And then I play all these evil, nasty villains onscreen and I love showing people that diversity, that difference.

"That stopped, so far, people wanting to spit on me in the streets or slap me. But I do get a lot of shouting across the street, especially in LA. 'Oh why you'd do that? You tried to kill Thor!'"

Update, 4/14/22 4:38 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.