More Than 100 Warrants Served Against 'Girls Gone Wild' Crew

mycfnow ^

[chance33_98]

More Than 100 Warrants Served Against 'Girls Gone Wild' Crew

Posted: 1:06 a.m. EDT May 24, 2003 Updated: 1:23 a.m. EDT May 24, 2003

PANAMA CITY, Fla. -- More than 100 criminal warrants have been served against three companies, the creator of the "Girls Gone Wild" video series and a camera operator stemming from a film crew's spring break visit to the Florida Panhandle.

Producer Joe Francis, 30, of Las Vegas, voluntarily appeared Thursday to be processed on 22 charges stemming from his arrest on April 2 with three employees. They were arrested at nearby Panama City Beach, one of the nation's leading spring break destinations, where they were filming videos.

The mail-order videos feature nudity and sexual activity. The charges include racketeering, procuring minors for sexual acts, filming minors engaged in sexual performances, and conspiracy to commit those offenses.

Francis also is facing drug and lewdness charges. A camera operator, Mark D. Schmitz, 26, also is facing similar charges. Both are free on bond.

Also charged are Francis' company, Mantra Films Inc., Aero Falcons LLC and MRA Holding LLC. The companies each face about 20 charges.

Mantra has disputed the charges, contending crews always ask young women their age and film only those who say they are 18 or older.

The charges are based largely on about 175 hours of tapes Bay County sheriff's deputies seized during a raid at a condominium rented by the "Girls Gone Wild" staff.

State Attorney Jim Appleman said only about half the footage has been viewed so far and it could take three more weeks to complete the investigation. He said more charges could be filed. The challenge for investigators is to identify females on the videos and verify their ages, he said.

They have been doing that by determining when the footage was taken, figuring which colleges were on spring break then and contacting the schools, Appleman said.

Circuit Judge Dedee Costello signed an order Wednesday returning a business jet owned by Aero Falcons and leased to Mantra that deputies seized April 2.

The investigation began after a 16-year-old girl told her parents that she and four friends had been videotaped performing sexual acts at a hotel. Deputies said they searched six rooms and found pornographic footage of five local girls, all 16 or 17 years old.

[Houmatt]

According to this, they did.

[Scenic Sounds]

Republican boys date Democratic girls. They plan to marry Republican girls, but feel they're entitled to a little fun first.

Discriminate at your own risk!

I need to leave for a bit, but you be sure to let us know how it all comes out. ;-)

[Houmatt]

You state this again as fact but it is not fact.

It is fact, no matter how much you wish to change it.

It does not matter what the legal age of consent is. In the eyes of the law, legally they are still minors until they are 18. And legal does not mean emotional. As I have said before, I have known my fair share of 16 and 17 year olds who could not emotionally give consent to having someone else tie their frickin' shoes, let alone have sex.

[putupon]

You really trust what politicians who want to enhance their resumes and see a way to make a big news case stay on the front pages for months say?

O.K. then, have I got a deal for you.

This Nigerian Oil Minister I know needs to move some funds to a U.S. bank. You can make a 20% fee for helping us, which comes up to around $200K. All you have to do is send me a copy of one of your checks with a major credit card number and expration date.

Look foward to hearing from you.

[Houmatt]

Let me also agree with the sentiment against calling these films "kiddie porn." To call GGW "kiddie porn" is a gross hyperbole and a real affront to the real children that undergo horrible experiences at the hands of abusers and pedophiles. This is NOT "kiddie porn." Stop characterizing it as such.

Oh, really? And just why are you saying this? Is it because you have a few volumes of it in your own stash and you feel you must somehow rationalize keeping it?

Sorry, Charlie. The sexual exploitation of minors is child pornography.

PERIOD! PERIOD! PERIOD! PERIOD!

I am just absolutely sickened by how some of these people here have turned themselves into human pretzels to rationalize and defend the sexual exploitation of children.

If the age of consent is all that matters, then why aren't 16 and 17 year old kids generating a large presence in the adult film industry? It is because doing that will get you put in jail. That is what has happened to Joseph Francis, and that is how it should be.

[Houmatt]

There is no proof whatsoever that the producers knew that she was anything other than 16

Precisely! They knew she was a minor, or at least should have known.

That is what Florida law stipulates.

[Trace21230]

"Is it because you have a few volumes of it in your own stash and you feel you must somehow rationalize keeping it?"

If you wish to debate with me, I expect you to follow FR's guidelines, especially those forbidding personal attacks.

There is no pornography in my house and you have no basis for your accusation. Simply because someone does not share your view of what is right and what is wrong does not make them morally inferior to you.

I don't know you and you don't know me. So let's limit the discussion to what is said on this board, and not surreptitiously insert implications that you cannot prove or support.

"I am just absolutely sickened by how some of these people here have turned themselves into human pretzels to rationalize and defend the sexual exploitation of children."

Well, I am absolutely sickened that people use the mantra "It's for the children" as 1) an excuse to spend taxpayer dollars irresponsibly, 2) rationalize poor judgment on the part of these "children" and their parents and 3) limit free speech. I thought the "for the children" whine was a democrat tool, apparently that's not the case.

Trace

[Houmatt]

You really trust what politicians who want to enhance their resumes and see a way to make a big news case stay on the front pages for months say?

Have you always had a knack at posting non-sequiturs to hide the fact you are too damn lazy to hit a link?

Shame.

[putupon]

Not interested in the Nigerian Money Transfer deal? I have real good bridge in Brooklyn for sale, cheap.

[Lazamataz]

Now if they could just arrest the producers of Jerry Springer maybe we will get back to some sanity. I would love to see them doing time.

I agree. I want to see everyone doing time.

Everywhere.

For everything.

[Lazamataz]

Which is it, 18 or 21? Or do we have a species of "half minor?" And, if so, how is that constitutional?

It's half constitutional.

[Houmatt]

Well, I am absolutely sickened that people use the mantra "It's for the children" as 1) an excuse to spend taxpayer dollars irresponsibly, 2) rationalize poor judgment on the part of these "children" and their parents and 3) limit free speech. I thought the "for the children" whine was a democrat tool, apparently that's not the case.

(chuckle)

Okay, let's see if I have this straight: The only definition of child pornography is yours. You refuse to condemn the sexual exploitation of minors. And yet, you get touchy if someone offers a (gasp!) personal attack.

Sorry, it don't work that way.

I, for one, will neither stand for nor tolerate the sexual abuse or exploitation of a child (and, yes, anyone under the age of 18 is a child, in my eyes, or, more importantly, in the eyes of the law).

And anyone who rationalizes, condones or defends it deserves to be insulted.

So you can hit that abuse link all you want.

[Roscoe]

There is no proof whatsoever that the producers knew that she was anything other than 16, no proof, just the word of a little girl who is on film lying about her age.

"All the victims state that Francis and the photographer were fully aware they were all minors."

[DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet]

You have stated that you wish not to give an opinion. Fine that is your perogative.

No, I have not "stated" any such thing. I told you that I am willing to answer questions, but if you wanted an answer, you should ask me in a manner that would not make me have flashbacks to fifth grade.

By the way, you missed a letter in "prerogative", Teach. Twice.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"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."

[Roscoe]

"Petrocelli [the pornographer's lawyer] 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."

[headsonpikes]

This is a fun thread.

Funner than doing time.

[honeygrl]

These guys go to Mardis Gras and the popular Spring Break party spots for these pictures. I've seen stuff similar to what these videos show on MTV Spring break. In fact, I've heard that if you have satellite you get it uncensored.

[honeygrl]

So do you just use Clinton as a way to insult everyone you dislike or do you just use his name on everyone who disagrees with you? You seem to like throwing his name around a lot.