'Girls Gone Wild' producer now faces 22 charges

The Associated Press ^ | April 25, 2003

[new cruelty]

"Girls Gone Wild" producer Joe Francis is now facing 22 criminal charges, including filming underage girls involved in sexual activity.

Francis, 30, was arraigned Thursday in Bay County Circuit Court with racketeering and conspiracy to engage in racketeering activity, which are both first-degree felonies which carry up the 30 years in prison.

He also faces three counts of promoting the sexual performance of children; four counts of conspiracy to promote the sexual performance of children; two counts of using children in sexual performances; four counts of procuring persons younger than 18 for prostitution; two counts of conspiring to procure persons under 18 for prostitution; two counts of selling, distributing or offering to distribute or possessing with intent to distribute obscene material; two counts of prostitution; and one count of trafficking in hydrocodone.

Many of the charges name Mantra Films Inc. and Aero Falcons LLC as co-defendants.

Mantra Films produces the "Girls Gone Wild" videos, which routinely feature public nudity and sexual situations.

Francis and his staff were in Panama City Beach in February, March and April to tape a Spring Break special. He was arrested April 3 on prostitution, sexual exploitation and drug trafficking charges. Some of his employees have also been charged.

Francis attorney, Daniel Petrocelli, said from his office in California that the number of charges show how weak the state's case is.

"What they did was take one incident and try to cobble it together to support a (racketeering) claim and its transparent," he said. "There's no racketeering involved here. The charges against Mr. Francis are reckless and irresponsible."

Racketeering is when someone intentionally sets up an illegal moneymaking operation and uses the funds to support a legitimate or illegitimate business.

The charges list several girls by their initials only, all younger than 18, who investigators said were filmed on March 31 engaging in sexual activity.

Petrocelli said the girls identified in the charges all told the videos producers they were older than 18, some said it while being videotaped, and one or more had signed a waiver declaring themselves older than 18.

Petrocelli, who may be best known for representing Fred Goldman in a wrongful death suit against O.J. Simpson, said Francis case is an example of city and county officials trampling on the freedom of expression.

"The goal of 'Girls Gone Wild' is to capture the spontaneity of college coeds having fun on Spring Break and other times of leisure," Petrocelli said. "This is about the way young people have fun these days. It might be different than the way you and I used to have fun."

Petrocelli said the prosecutor should know that Francis wasn't trafficking in hydrocodone, for example, because he was given Francis' prescription for Vicodin and a letter from his doctor.

[gathersnomoss]

Next up, "Attorney's Gone Wild".

[Sir Gawain]

They will either settle or the producer will win the cases, as he has all the rest of them.

[Redcloak]

LOL!

[AppyPappy]

What a blithering idiot. He deserves this.

[DeepInEnemyTerritory]

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/ggwild1.html

[lelio]

The charges against Mr. Francis are reckless and irresponsible
And you can see it all in "Producers of Girls Gone Wild Going Wild"

[smith288]

Future "dirty old man"

[Helms]

Calling Ron Jeremy.

" Petrocelli said the girls identified in the charges all told the videos producers they were older than 18, some said it while being videotaped, and one or more had signed a waiver declaring themselves older than 18."

Soft core, hard core- Californication

[ClearCase_guy]

Petrocelli said the girls identified in the charges all told the videos producers they were older than 18, some said it while being videotaped,

Gee, I wonder if that would be considered sufficient proof. I recall going to the liquor store when I was 17 and telling the nice man that I was 21. I even offered to show him a videotape of me saying I was 21. But he still wouldn't sell me any beer. Rotter.

[kcordell]

I saw an interview with this guy. He should take the money and run. They are going to keep after him until they get him.

I also think he likes the attention these cases bring.

[illumini]

"Bimbos wanting exposure" He's just a Republican gone wild. Lessez faire, please.

[quark]

The scumbag's lawyer is Daniel Petrocelli. He's the attorney who successfully represented the Goldman's in their civil suit against the murderer O.J. Simspon.

[lelio]

Attorney's Gone Wild
See attorneys arguing their case in a huge bubble-filled courtroom!

[Helms]

Californication

Psychic spies from China
Try to steal your mind’s elation
Little girls from Sweden
Dream of silver screen quotations
And if you want these kind of dreams
It’s Californication
It’s the edge of the world
And all of western civilization
The sun may rise in the East
At least it settles in the final location
It’s understood that Hollywood
Sells Californication

Pay your surgeon very well
To break the spell of aging
Celebrity skin is this your chin
Or is that war your waging

Chorus:
First born unicorn
Hard core soft porn
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication

Marry me girl be my fairy to the world
Be my very own constellation
A teenage bride with a baby inside
Getting high on information
And buy me a star on the boulevard
It’s Californication

Space may be the final frontier
But it’s made in a Hollywood basement
Cobain can you hear the spheres
Singing songs off station to station
And Alderon’s not far away
It’s Californication

Born and raised by those who praise
Control of population everybody’s been there and
I don’t mean on vacation

Chorus

Destruction leads to a very rough road
But it also breeds creation
And earthquakes are to a girl’s guitar
They’re just another good vibration
And tidal waves couldn’t save the world
From Californication

Pay your surgeon very well
To break the spell of aging
Sicker than the rest
There is no test
But this is what you’re craving

Chorus

[martin_fierro]

HAW! Good one.

[garyhope]

I wish girls of my gerneration had wanted to "have fun" like this showing me their "hooters" when I was young guy. Back in my day they wore bras of steel and barbed wire, no touching. Get your face slapped.

This guy made so much money with these videos. Why did he risk it for a few more dollars.

[weegee]

Petrocelli said the girls identified in the charges all told the videos producers they were older than 18, some said it while being videotaped, and one or more had signed a waiver declaring themselves older than 18.

That's why you need to get birth certificates or other valid ID on file (there are laws that regulate the "adult" entertainment industry).

A bar would not be exempt from prosecution for serving a minor just because the doorman or bartender said, "(S)He said (s)he was old enuff ta drink!".