So has anyone ever been convicted of 2257 violations?

[mrmax]

I know there were raids where producers didnt have the right records. What happened to those people?
Did they pay a fine? Is anyone in jail from it?

[gaybucks_chip]

Girls Gone Wild paid an enormous fine and had to pull dozens of titles related to 2257 violations. As far as I know, that's the only case so far.

However, the time between the FBI doing an investigation and charges being brought can sometimes be 2 or 3 years, so I wouldn't necessarily expect to see any charges yet arising from the 2257 inspections that have been done so far.

[mrmax]

oh yeah, and Joe Francis went to jail over that too. And He had to have had the best lawyers on the planet too with the amount of money he had.
Now I know, thanks

[abostonboy]

Well. Him going to jail was not really over 2257. He actually had underage models. I BELIEVE it was that issue that made him goto jail.

[mrmax]

Well. Him going to jail was not really over 2257. He actually had underage models. I BELIEVE it was that issue that made him goto jail.

Plus from what I understand he was super rude and disrespectful to the judge.

[deanb]

He was in jail for like a week over the underage model thing, he then was transferred to Reno, NV for not paying taxes. The reason he was in jail so long was that he he was wanted again in Florida for the underage models, and he claims mis treatment at the jail by guards, so refused to bond out of federal prison so he wouldn't end up back at the state (or county) level. Ones the state (florida) ended their fight for him, he left federal prison in Reno.

I don't actually believe it was a 2257 violation either, it was a state violation that he was cited with, and from what I understand of his side, it drug out so long basically because the city didn't want him coming back around there and were trying to make an example out of him. That was his side anyway.

I could be *completely* wrong here, so if I am someone feel free to correct me.

[gaybucks_chip]

The thing he went to jail for had nothing to do with 2257. The Florida thing was a contempt charge, basically Francis tried to shit on two underage girls he'd filmed; he'd negotiated a settlement with them, then decided to be a dick and wouldn't honor the settlement, so the judge gave him so many days to settle the case. When he didn't, the judge threw him in jail on contempt charges.

While in jail, he got somebody to pass him drugs (xanax and sleeping pill of some type, if I remember right) and got caught, so they brought him up on those charges.

Before those went to trial, they got him on tax evasion, and I think that's why he was in jail in Reno. But it is correct that he stayed in jail in Reno rather than getting out and immediately having to report back to Florida on the drug charges.

I wasn't aware he was out of jail. If so, then he's on out on bond on the tax evasion charge.

But... none of it had to do with 2257. As far as I know, the company paid an enormous fine, pulled like 40 titles, agreed to Federal oversight for next 3 years, and that was it.

[deanb]

The thing he went to jail for had nothing to do with 2257. The Florida thing was a contempt charge, basically Francis tried to shit on two underage girls he'd filmed; he'd negotiated a settlement with them, then decided to be a dick and wouldn't honor the settlement, so the judge gave him so many days to settle the case. When he didn't, the judge threw him in jail on contempt charges.

While in jail, he got somebody to pass him drugs (xanax and sleeping pill of some type, if I remember right) and got caught, so they brought him up on those charges.

Before those went to trial, they got him on tax evasion, and I think that's why he was in jail in Reno. But it is correct that he stayed in jail in Reno rather than getting out and immediately having to report back to Florida on the drug charges.

I wasn't aware he was out of jail. If so, then he's on out on bond on the tax evasion charge.

But... none of it had to do with 2257. As far as I know, the company paid an enormous fine, pulled like 40 titles, agreed to Federal oversight for next 3 years, and that was it.

Yeah he is out on bail, last I remember hearing from him is that he states that him or his company have never been convicted of any thing, and never will. We'll see. I don't doubt that his company does have some issues, but I also don't doubt that people in power would want to see him and his company suffer, just because of how big it is, and the exposure that it gets. After all, GGW wouldn't be the first adult company that people in the government have preyed upon.

He has the money to fight for it, and I say good for him. Look at the people before us who have made the work we do possible.

[Matt 26z]

No charges based entirely on paperwork errors have ever been reported on the boards or in the media. That is probably the best way of putting it.

Given that the FBI reported inspection failures at numerous unnamed companies and the fact that these companies have successfully suppressed this information from the adult community, it is one possibility that most of us would not hear about a prosecution unless the DoJ themselves announced it.

[deanb]

No charges based entirely on paperwork errors have ever been reported on the boards or in the media. That is probably the best way of putting it.

Given that the FBI reported inspection failures at numerous unnamed companies and the fact that these companies have successfully suppressed this information from the adult community, it is one possibility that most of us would not hear about a prosecution unless the DoJ themselves announced it.

If anything near what has been posted on this board is accurate, I think time will only tell what happens. :worm:

[chadknowslaw]

If there had been a prosecution for 2257 violations I do expect we would hear about it. There are only a small number of lawyers that handle adult work like 2257, fewer that will handle criminal defense, and even fewer still that would not take the opportunity for free advertising by announcing their representation of a 2257 defendant.

We would know if it happened.



2257 has serious flaws, not the least of which is a finding of unconstitutionality by the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals. No inspections have been made since the 6th Circuit ruled and I doubt we will see any inspections until that is resolved, either by the 6th Circuit en banc (all the judges sitting in on the case instead of just a panel of 3) or the Supreme Court.


The previous 2257 charges were filed along with other charges; kind of like when someone is charged with drunken driving but cited for running a stop sign and crossing the center line. 2257 is not such a serious offense when compared to having videos of 17 year old girls playing naked twister in your trailer house. It has not been the primary reason for filing an indictment, and from my experience with the federal prosecution mechanism, there is not a single office in the country that has the time or resources to prosecute a 2257 violator unless there are other charges to bring as well. Prosecutors do not like to file single count indictments.

[mrmax]

basically Francis tried to shit on two underage girls he'd filmed;

For a minute there I thought you meant literally
:tubgirl:

[gaybucks_chip]

For a minute there I thought you meant literally
:tubgirl:

LOL

Well, the guy's a creep, but as far as I know he's not into scat

[Titanmen]

There have been several convictions on 2257 charges. They usually involved cases of underage/late teens homemade porn where the state did not have quite enough evidence to convict, so they got the defendant to plead to a lesser 2257 charge. This is one of the same tactics they used with Joe Francis. They got him to plead to a lesser 2257 violation and pay a huge fine. He did not go to jail based on 2257 charges, he only paid a huge fine.

[hdkbill]

If there had been a prosecution for 2257 violations I do expect we would hear about it. There are only a small number of lawyers that handle adult work like 2257, fewer that will handle criminal defense, and even fewer still that would not take the opportunity for free advertising by announcing their representation of a 2257 defendant.

We would know if it happened.

So the answer to the original question is no, not really.

Bill