'Girls Gone Wild' Producer Charged

Jewels · 04-27-2003, 01:00 AM

PANAMA CITY, FLORIDA (AP) -- "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 it's 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.

The Germanator · 04-27-2003, 01:41 AM

poor guy.

Happydude · 04-27-2003, 02:15 AM

...i don't watch those videos...so i don't care if they get banned or whatever...as for the guy...meh...i don't care...

Joeiss · 04-27-2003, 10:57 AM

I watch these sometimes... But I never understand why girls would flash guys for those chincy looking beeds.

GameKinG · 04-27-2003, 11:09 AM

He really should ID the girls, before filming them...

Joeiss · 04-27-2003, 12:34 PM

Well, from the ones that I have seen, it is just like random filmings of girls... So it would be kind of hard to ID them all... But then again, he should if he wanted to stay out of jail.

NYGiant · 04-28-2003, 11:08 AM

Good for the sick guy.He helps make the world a sicker place along with homosexuals

mickydaniels · 04-28-2003, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NYGiant
Good for the sick guy.He helps make the world a sicker place along with homosexuals

I couldn't have said it better myself. But, unfortunately, this may be even better publicity for today's sexcrazed society.

DeathsHand · 04-28-2003, 02:13 PM

Wow! Real life homophobes! Can I have your autographs?

BlueFire · 04-28-2003, 02:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DeathsHand
Wow! Real life homophobes! Can I have your autographs?

LOL.

Anyways... Sucks for this guy.

Mechadragon · 04-28-2003, 09:44 PM

Nooooo!!! Now we will have to turn to the thousands of other videos/websites/magazines to get our porn.

GameKinG · 04-28-2003, 11:15 PM

Well, I was watching the VH1 documentary about him that followed him around for awhile. He does talk to most of the girls before they flash him. And especially for those "dorm fantasy" crap they make.

One Winged Angel · 04-29-2003, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NYGiant
He helps make the world a sicker place along with homosexuals

ouch...

Seven7 · 04-29-2003, 11:47 PM

It would be nice if girls flashed me.

What.

ZeroCool51 · 04-30-2003, 11:14 PM

NY Giant are you a homosexual? I think you are that's why you saying they make the world a sicker place you just dont want anyone to know your gay. That's kind of sad just admit your a homosexual NY Giant I mean I think everyone here at GT can kind of tell you are.