U.S. Indicts Porn Sellers, Vowing Extensive Attack

Los Angeles Times ^ | August 8, 2003 | P.J. Huffstutter, Times Staff Writer

[Desmond]

The Justice Department on Thursday charged a North Hollywood wholesaler of adult films with violating federal obscenity laws, launching the first of what it promised would be a wave of criminal cases against purveyors of pornography.

The 10-count federal grand jury indictment against Extreme Associates and its executives, Robert Zicari and Janet Romano of Northridge, raised alarm among adult entertainment companies in the San Fernando Valley, which is considered the capital of the nation's multibillion-dollar pornography industry.

Atty. Gen. John Ashcroft promised upon taking office that he would crack down on the distributors of adult entertainment material such as movies, magazines and Web sites, much as his Reagan administration predecessor Edwin Meese III did in the 1980s.

Thursday's indictment came after investigators with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service set up a sting operation in Pennsylvania. From September 2002 through July 2003, the indictment says, the defendants sold allegedly obscene material over the Internet and distributed videotapes and DVDs across state lines through the postal system, a violation of federal law.

Extreme Associates produces movies such as "Extreme Teen #24" and "Forced Entry — Directors Cut," which depict the fictional rapes and murders of several women, according to court documents.

The privately held company employs 15 people and has annual sales of $20 million to $49.9 million, according to the U.S. Business Directory.

Zicari and Romano are scheduled to be arraigned in Pittsburgh on Aug. 27.

If convicted, Zicari, 29, also known as Rob Black, and Romano, 26, also known as Lizzie Borden, each could face as much as 50 years in prison and a fine of $2.5 million. The company could pay a fine of as much as $5 million.

"Every time we get a Republican administration, these kinds of cases seem to perk up," said lawyer Elliot Abelson, who defended the industry in obscenity cases from the late 1970s to the mid-'80s.

[Desmond]

Assuming that no other laws are broken, I am very live-and-let-live towards these people no matter how disgusting they get. However, they do seem to have broken some laws. "[T]he defendants sold allegedly obscene material over the Internet and distributed videotapes and DVDs across state lines through the postal system, a violation of federal law." Sounds like a dumb law on first blush, though.

Mostly I think, though, doesn't his office have better things to do than fight a losing battle against fringe (adult) porn makers and distributors? This all sounds retarded.

[Wolfie]

Wow, the Director's Cut of "Forced Entry" is finally out? That's great news. Now his true vision for the picture can be appreciated.

[Paleo Conservative]

"[T]he defendants sold allegedly obscene material over the Internet and distributed videotapes and DVDs across state lines through the postal system, a violation of federal law." Sounds like a dumb law on first blush, though.

Perhaps you would prefer these laws be repealed so porno junk mail will fill you mailbox at home the way porno spam fills email inboxes.

[Phantom Lord]

"[T]he defendants sold allegedly obscene material over the Internet and distributed videotapes and DVDs across state lines through the postal system, a violation of federal law."

If they had shipped them by UPS or FedEx would any laws have been broken? If no, then they should have used those services.

And further, what an absolute waste of tax payers money, and limited law enforcement resources this is. Leave them alone.

[Wolfie]

Mostly I think, though, doesn't his office have better things...

You can sum Ashcroft's priorities up in two words: Dopers and Boners.

[Phantom Lord]

Perhaps you would prefer these laws be repealed so porno junk mail will fill you mailbox at home the way porno spam fills email inboxes.

Ah, they won't be sending you unsolicited porno tapes. And if they wanted to send you junk mail promoting their services, as long as the mail didn't contain the offending images they could do so. Since they are not, it is clear that doing so is not a beneficial marketing strategy and you have no need to worry about your mailbox being stuffed with said items.

[Phantom Lord]

Ashcroft is the only member of the Bush admin that I agree with the wacko left on much of the time.

[dennisw]

Mostly I think, though, doesn't his office have better things to do than fight a losing battle against fringe (adult) porn makers and distributors? This all sounds retarded........


I agree. Legalize hard core, legalize heroin, methedrine and crack. Why bother prosecuting. Yipee!!!

[ventana]

And the people who think we have no claim on the Public Square as Dopes and Boneheads. V's wife.

[fortaydoos]

I am a pretty uptight conservative but shouldn't we be tracking down alqueda terrorists instead of these (sick) people?

[Paleo Conservative]

Ah, they won't be sending you unsolicited porno tapes.

What makes you think that? Unless the law is enforced, why wouldn't porno producers send out free samples on CD-ROMs or DVDs the way AOL sends out AOL 8.0 CDs?

[Wolfie]

You wanna throw a verb in there and form a sentence?

[jimt]

You can sum Ashcroft's priorities up in two words: Dopers and Boners.

Hey, it's OK to sell pardons to criminals, or nuclear secrets to the Chinese !

Ashcroft is an utter ass.

[anniegetyourgun]

I appreciate having an AG who enforces the law of the land...for a change.

[Bikers4Bush]

We've got illegals crawling all over this country thanks to businesses that pay them under the table and he's worried about porn.

Just beautiful.

[JohnGalt]

There is no moral equivalence between making millions off filth and growing a plant in your closet for recreation or pain relief.

Just my two cents.

[Wolfie]

Well you know, some people don't sleep very well knowing that somewhere, somehow, somebody is having it off.

[Paleo Conservative]

You wanna throw a verb in there and form a sentence?

There's already enough verbiage on Free Republic.

[Lunatic Fringe]

[Phantom Lord]

What makes you think that? Unless the law is enforced, why wouldn't porno producers send out free samples on CD-ROMs or DVDs the way AOL sends out AOL 8.0 CDs?

If it was an effective marketing tool, they would already be doing so.

And it is not illegal to send all prono through the mail. If it was, how would Playboy, Hustler, Penthouse, and the Adam & Eve style catalog companies get their product to customers? Last I checked, they use the USPS.