Alaskan Bush People's Matt Brown has been accused of raping two women in 2018.
In a statement to PEOPLE on Wednesday, the Discovery Channel — which handles personal inquiries about the Brown family — addressed the sexual assault claims. "Discovery Channel was approached several years ago regarding the allegations, finding them disturbing and very serious," it begins.
"We agreed the local authorities should be contacted immediately. Due to the nature of the accusations we felt that all cooperation would be most appropriately handled by law enforcement," the statement concludes.
Matt did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
The women came forward and identified themselves in an interview published by The Sun, in which they alleged that Matt, 37, raped them just days apart after the reality star had allegedly been heavily drinking. Both women said they reported the alleged crime to the Los Angeles Police Department's Topanga Division and the case was later handed over to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. According to The Sun, the D.A. declined to prosecute.
Both the LAPD and the D.A. did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.
Jessica Jurges, 35, who previously served as a personal assistant to Matt's family, claimed in the interview that Matt raped her in a swimming pool as she tried to fight him off on July 8, 2018 in Canoga Park, Los Angeles.
"I was disgusted. I said everything nasty I could to him, to get him off me and it wasn't happening," Jurges, who said she can barely swim, told The Sun. "He kept saying, 'Take your glasses off.' I was just thinking, I'm dying."
Jurges alleged to The Sun that she was "saved" by Matt's alleged second victim, Shelly Dawn, who allegedly pulled Matt off of her, allowing Jurges to escape. At the time, Dawn was Matt's manager.
"After the attack, we got out of the pool. And we're just reprimanding him saying, 'Matt what the f— is wrong with you? Don't you ever do that to anybody. You'll go to prison. Do you understand?'… He just apologized and cried," Jurges alleged to the outlet.
Dawn told The Sun that three days later, Matt allegedly raped her at the same location.
"It was just days after I had pulled him out of the pool when he was trying to get at Jessica," Dawn alleged. "I was at the same house and that's when he raped me."
Dawn said that she had trouble fighting Matt off because she had a hip replacement.
"He knew that I had a hip replacement and he knew that my legs aren't as strong as the rest of my body and that's how it happened," she told The Sun. "He was out-of-his-mind drunk. After it happened, he told me that I raped him — that's how drunk he was."
Jurges told The Sun that she also told members of Matt's family; the outlet obtained text messages allegedly between Jurges and Matt's brothers, Bear and Gabe.
"I tried to warn you! If I knew he was that bad though! I'd have killed him," Bear allegedly texted Jurges. Gabe allegedly said: "I'm so sorry I mean this with all my heart stay away from Matt."
Matt has struggled with addiction for years. In 2018 — the same year as the alleged rapes — he returned to rehab after first seeking treatment in the spring of 2016.
“I struggle with substance abuse, and after a year of ups and downs, I decided to return to treatment,” he told PEOPLE. “I’m really grateful for everyone’s support and hope to have my life back on track soon.”
If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.
If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, please contact the SAMHSA substance abuse helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
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