Bob Dylan sued for an alleged 1965 sexual assault, which 'will be be vigorously defended'

Bob Dylan is facing a lawsuit for an alleged sexual assault from 1965 filed under 2019's New York Child Victims Act, as reported by Yahoo Entertainment's Taryn Ryder on Monday (Aug. 16):

"The 'Like a Rolling Stone' singer, 80, is accused of grooming a 12-year-old girl over a six-week period between April and May of 1965. According to the complaint obtained by Yahoo Entertainment, the singer 'befriended and established an emotional connection with the plaintiff,' identified only as J.C., while living at his Chelsea Hotel apartment in New York City. 

"The lawsuit accuses Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman, of sexual abuse 'coupled with the provision of drugs, alcohol and, threats of physical violence, leaving her emotionally scarred and psychologically damaged to this day.' J.C., a 68-year-old woman now living in Greenwich, Conn., claims she's the victim of 'one or more criminal sex acts.'"

Ryder added that J.C.'s lawyer, Daniel W. Isaacs, filed the lawsuit last Friday (Aug. 13), "one day before the 'look-back' window of the New York Child Victims Act expired."

"The 56-year-old claim is untrue and will be vigorously defended," an unnamed spokesperson for Dylan said in a statement.

It should be noted that Dylan was away from New York City during April and May of 1965 while on tour. The 10-time Grammy winner played two nights in San Francisco as well as one Vancouver show at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in early April before jetting to the U.K. at the end of the month for a eight-date tour that ended May 10 in London (h/t Gaslight Records and Concert Archives).

Dylan had previously released his Bringing It All Back Home album that March.