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TazBo · 04-04-2003, 10:25 AM

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PANAMA CITY BEACH -- The head of a company that produces Girls Gone Wild videos was arrested on racketeering and drug charges after parents complained to police that he told underage girls to say on camera that they were 18, police said Thursday.

Search warrants on five locations and a private Gulfstream jet turned up videotapes to corroborate the stories of five girls who said they stripped and acted out scenes on camera although producers knew they were underage, police said.

Joe Francis, chief executive officer of Mantra Entertainment, was arrested at his condominium Wednesday evening. Three other employees were also arrested.

Francis, 30, and Mark Schmitz, 26, were charged with prostitution and sexual exploitation. Francis was also charged with drug trafficking. The other two employees were charged with drug possession.

Mantra Entertainment spokesman Bill Horn said they deny all charges.

Police said they seized a 2002 Ferrari, electronic equipment, waiver documents and a safe containing footage of young women baring flesh.

Panama City Beach is the nation's leading spring break destination, attracting as mnay as 400,000 college and high school students in March and April.

Four 17-year-old girls and a 16-year-old came across a Girls Gone Wild van Monday evening and were asked to go to a motel room to act out nude scenes in front of a video camera, police said. Two did, and were paid $100 for their performances, police said.

"One of the 17-year-old girls came clean to her mother, and they called us," said Bay County sheriff's spokeswoman Ruth Sasser.

Police said they found video to confirm that Francis told the 16-year-old to say she was 18 when he filmed her baring her breasts on video.

Area officials had started feuding with the video company earlier. Mayor Lee Sullivan and law enforcement officials threatened to arrest anyone violating a public nudity ordinance as well as those who encouraged such lawbreaking.

The producers went to court, asking a federal judge to declare that certain activity associated with the filming would not be automatically illegal and issue a temporary restraining order preventing authorities from making or threatening arrests.

They dropped the restraining order request March 12 after getting a promise that police would not interfere with their constitutional rights.

04-04-2003, 10:25 AM
TazBo Confirmed User Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Sarasota Fl. Posts: 140	Trouble for Girls Gone Wild -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PANAMA CITY BEACH -- The head of a company that produces Girls Gone Wild videos was arrested on racketeering and drug charges after parents complained to police that he told underage girls to say on camera that they were 18, police said Thursday. Search warrants on five locations and a private Gulfstream jet turned up videotapes to corroborate the stories of five girls who said they stripped and acted out scenes on camera although producers knew they were underage, police said. Joe Francis, chief executive officer of Mantra Entertainment, was arrested at his condominium Wednesday evening. Three other employees were also arrested. Francis, 30, and Mark Schmitz, 26, were charged with prostitution and sexual exploitation. Francis was also charged with drug trafficking. The other two employees were charged with drug possession. Mantra Entertainment spokesman Bill Horn said they deny all charges. Police said they seized a 2002 Ferrari, electronic equipment, waiver documents and a safe containing footage of young women baring flesh. Panama City Beach is the nation's leading spring break destination, attracting as mnay as 400,000 college and high school students in March and April. Four 17-year-old girls and a 16-year-old came across a Girls Gone Wild van Monday evening and were asked to go to a motel room to act out nude scenes in front of a video camera, police said. Two did, and were paid $100 for their performances, police said. "One of the 17-year-old girls came clean to her mother, and they called us," said Bay County sheriff's spokeswoman Ruth Sasser. Police said they found video to confirm that Francis told the 16-year-old to say she was 18 when he filmed her baring her breasts on video. Area officials had started feuding with the video company earlier. Mayor Lee Sullivan and law enforcement officials threatened to arrest anyone violating a public nudity ordinance as well as those who encouraged such lawbreaking. The producers went to court, asking a federal judge to declare that certain activity associated with the filming would not be automatically illegal and issue a temporary restraining order preventing authorities from making or threatening arrests. They dropped the restraining order request March 12 after getting a promise that police would not interfere with their constitutional rights. __________________ SIG TOO BIG! Maximum 120x60 button and no more than 3 text lines of DEFAULT SIZE and COLOR. Unless your sig is for a GFY top banner sponsor, then you may use a 624x80 instead of a 120x60.