NEW YORK - A judge has granted gay adult producer Pitbull Productions a temporary restraining order against Yocko Distributors, claiming it was distributing DVDs stolen from its warehouse.
Pitbull has also filed a lawsuit against Yocko over its alleged unauthorized distribution and sales of Pitbull content. The company is seeking $5 million in damages.
Pitbull spokesman Michael Violet said Sunday that the New York Supreme Court granted the order against Yocko and its principal, Lenny Yocko, barring the company and Yocko from selling, distributing or disposing of DVDs produced by Pitbull.
Violet said his company contacted police and the FBI after it discovered that 3,000 DVDs were stolen from the company’s New York facilities last week. Authorities then identified at least two models, one of whom had worked for Pitbull, as suspects in the theft, Violet said. The second model had worked for a Pitbull competitor.
At least one arrest was made in the case. Details were not released.
But Yocko said he was surprised at the lawsuit.
“I caught the guy selling the stuff and called them about it. But they gave me some bullshit story and now they’re doing this,” he said of the lawsuit.
“I only got 700 pieces from the guy who was in the movie. Then I heard it was stolen.”
In its complaint, Pitbull alleges that Yocko had acquired the stolen property and were then selling the DVDs in the New York market to adult video stores well below market value, thus damaging Pitbull’s sales through its distributor Marina Pacific Distributors.
In a statement, Violet said his company aims to aggressively prosecute those involved in the theft of its content.
“Pitbull Productions takes very seriously any infringement on its proprietary material,” he said.
“Pitbull is working with law enforcement and intends to apprehend and prosecute to the fullest extent of the law any and all individuals involved. The studio has thanked law enforcement for the immediate response, investigation and cooperation which has led to the recovery of most of all of the stolen DVDs and the subsequent arrest of some of those involved.”
