BEVERLY HILLS—“Cosmic artist” Jack Armstrong was arrested on November 22 and is accused of raping a woman in Beverly Hills back in 2010.
Police arrested Jack Nary Armstrong, 56, in Eagle Rock. Armstrong, who is a well-known artist in the area, was charged with raping an unconscious person in 2010. The “Cosmic Extensionalism” artist, whose paintings are priced between $600,000 and $6 million, posted a $100,000 bail and was released from custody on Sunday, November 24.
Chief Davila-Morales of the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office told the Canyon News that the incident occurred on March 4, 2010 when Armstrong allegedly met the victim outside of a nightclub in Beverly Hills. As conversation ensued, Armstrong and the victim proceeded to enter the club where Armstrong reportedly bought “several beers” for the victim.
“Prosecutors allege that the next thing the victim remembers is waking up, partially unclothed, in a hotel room laying next to the defendant,” Chief Davila-Morales stated. The two then left the hotel room and Armstrong drove the female victim home.
Canyon News spoke with Sergeant Subin of the Beverly Hills Police Department (BHPD) who said the victim reported the alleged rape to police a few days after the incident in 2010. Srgt. Subin explained that the reason for the seemingly long delay between the date of the alleged crime and for the defendant’s arrest was because of the time needed for law enforcement to correctly collect and assess all the biological evidence, computer forensics, witnesses interviews and other sources of evidence involved with the case.
“These are complex investigations for charges as serious as sexual assault. You want no stone left unturned,” Sgt. Subin stated. After a strong case is put together, law enforcement submits the finished case to the district attorney’s office for further action.
Subin said BHPD Detective Daniel Chilson “did a great job” on this case, taking a multi-directional approach and traveling outside of Beverly Hills to conduct the many witness interviews involved with the case.
According to the Los Angeles County Superior Court document, prosecutors issued an arrest warrant and charged Armstrong with the felony complaint of rape of unconscious person on November 15, 2013. The serious felony claims the defendant knew the victim was unconscious when the rape occurred. He is reportedly due in court for arraignment on December 20.
Although the district attorney’s office would not comment on the defendant’s criminal background, Sergeant Subin stated that Armstrong had been “arrested for another crime related to that activity” of sexual assault in the past.
The “About” page on the artist’s website predicts in all capital letters that Armstrong will soon be the “the most famous artist on the planet.” On March 13, 2010, about a week after the alleged rape, Armstrong premiered his “Cosmic Fire Ballet” in Palm Springs.
A few months after that, his “Cosmic Starship” Harley-Davidson motorcycle design (currently priced on the artist’s website at $3 million) was unveiled at an event in Marina Del Rey on October 21, 2010. Armstrong was also featured on the cover of the Beverly Hills Times magazine’s 2012 September/October issue.
The BHPD is concerned Armstrong may have used his lure of “so-called celebrity status” to target other females and commit similar crimes. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Daniel Chilson at 310-285-2159.
