SAN DIEGO (AP) - Michael James Pratt, the founder of a California-based porn empire, has pleaded guilty to sex trafficking charges in a federal court. This conclusion to a long legal battle was announced by the U.S. Department of Justice following Pratt's guilty plea on Thursday in federal court in San Diego. He is facing a potential life sentence, with his sentencing scheduled for September 25, 2023.
Pratt, who is 42 years old and originally from New Zealand, was previously added to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. His arrest took place in Madrid in 2022, three years after he fled the United States while being pursued for multiple sex trafficking charges. Federal prosecutors revealed that he, along with his co-defendants, utilized force, fraud, and coercion to recruit numerous women, many of whom were in their late teens, to participate in adult films.
The adult website GirlsDoPorn, which Pratt founded in San Diego, is now defunct following serious legal issues. In 2019, Pratt and several others faced criminal charges after a civil lawsuit was filed by 22 women who alleged that they were victims of fraud and breach of contract. The women reported being given alcohol and marijuana in order to persuade them to sign contracts that they had no opportunity to read. Numerous accounts included allegations of sexual assault and being confined in hotel rooms against their will until filming was complete.
In 2020, a judge ruled in favor of the victims, resulting in a substantial $12.7 million judgment against Pratt, Matthew Isaac Wolfe, and Ruben Andre Garcia, both of whom were associated with the GirlsDoPorn operations. Wolfe, who was responsible for the website's daily operations, finances, marketing, and filming, pleaded guilty in 2022 to a single federal count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. Last year, he was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison.
Other co-defendants have also entered guilty pleas. Ruben Andre Garcia received a 20-year prison sentence while cameraman Theodore Gyi was handed a four-year sentence. Additionally, Valorie Moser, a former bookkeeper for the website, previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on September 12, 2023.
The case highlighting the exploitation of vulnerable individuals has attracted significant media coverage, underscoring critical issues regarding consent and the ethical responsibilities of adult film production companies. The rulings serve as a potential deterrent against similar practices in the adult entertainment industry, spotlighting the need for legal protection for individuals involved in such operations.
