Girls Gone Wild Creator Joseph Francis and Mantra Films Inc Plead Guilty to Violating Child Exploitation Laws
Joseph Mantra and Mantra Films Inc, The creators of ‘Girls Gone Wild’ videos have pleaded 
guilty in a Florida Court to violating a federal law designed to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.
Mantra Films Inc. of Santa Monica pleaded guilty to charges that it failed to create and maintain age and identity documents for performers in sexually explicit films that it produced and distributed. The company also failed to label its DVDs and videotapes as required by federal law, the Justice Department said.
Mantra Films entered its plea agreement today before U.S. District Judge Richard Smoak in Panama City, Fla. A second related company, MRA Holdings LLC, also entered into an agreement.
Justice officials stated that this shows a clear message that the Justice Department is committed to protecting children from all forms of sexual exploitation.
“This case sends an important message about the Justice Department’s commitment to protecting children from all forms of sexual exploitation,” Assistant Atty. Gen. Alice S. Fisher said in a statement. “Today’s agreements ensure that “Girls Gone Wild” will comply with an important law designed to prevent the sexual exploitation of minors and puts other producers on notice that they must be in compliance as well.”
In the court papers distributed by the Justice Department, ” ‘Girls Gone Wild’ admitted filming performers and producing and distributing sexually explicit video materials during all of 2002 and part of 2003 while violating the record keeping and labeling laws.”
Specifically, Mantra Films pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to keep the required records and seven labeling violations.
(LA Times)
[...] Read the full story at Missing & Exploited. [...]
Pingback by Scared Monkeys | September 12, 2006
Well there must have been a reason they filmed in Florida!, They sure couldn’t film in the state where the Production office is…ie: California. If the girls were under 18 then the Child Labor Laws of California would also be in there as well.
It has a humourous side.. can’t you just picture at “Studio Teacher” or “Teacher/Welfare Worker” (same job) on the set trying to enforce Child Labor Laws and having the children in school too? Some of the Producers in CA. complain about the Child Labor Laws but they are needed; if not you have what happened in Florida.. sexual exploitation. These Producers knew the laws and chose to ignore them!
Ignoring filming laws of hours of work, safety with children can lead to deaths as in the “Twight Zone” movie in Aug. 1982.
Comment by just moma | September 17, 2006
Still operating, still getting away with it. No records or releases were ever kept.
Comment by APIC - Worldwide | September 18, 2006
I think that it is terrible that Mantra Films and Girls Gone Wild would violate child exploitation laws. Its bad enough that girls are willing to be nude on camera and do obscene things, but now it’s under age girls as well. What is this world coming to ???
GOD BLESS,
Lisi
Comment by Lisi | September 27, 2006