CHATSWORTH, Calif. - The Department of Justice has indicted adult producer/director Max Hardcore on federal obscenity charges filed in Tampa, Florida. Unsealed yesterday, the ten-count indictment charges Max with "transporting obscene matter via mail and computer."
The indictment states that Hardcore "knowingly used an interactive computer service [...] in and affecting interstate commerce for the purpose of selling and distributing obscene matter," citing the transmission of five online video clips.
Hardcore is also charged with mailing DVD copies of Max Hardcore Extreme Vol. 20, Pure Max 19 Euro Edition, Fists of Fury 4 - Euro Edition, Planet Max 16 - Euro Edition to a post office box in Tampa "on or about January 18, 2006."
If convicted of the charges, Hardcore is subject to forfeiture of merchandise, profits and property associated with the "obscene" matter, including his home in Altadena, Calif. The government is also seeking forfeiture of the director's websites maxhardcore.com, pissedonpornstars.com and catalinaxxx.com.
A DOJ press release describes Max (a.k.a. Paul Little) as a "nationally-known director, producer, and star of films featuring acts such as anal penetration, urination, insertion of an entire hand into a vagina or anus, vomiting, and severe violence" toward female performers.
Hardcore is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on July 12. According to the Los Angeles Times, the director turned himself in to California authorities yesterday.
A rep for Hardcore's company Max World Entertainment told AVN that Max will be releasing a statement through his attorney Jeffrey Douglas later this afternoon.
"One has to wonder the Department of Justice is spending so much of their resources attacking the adult entertainment industry," said Diane Duke, executive director of the Free Speech Coalition. "We are talking about adults viewing material produced by adults utilizing adult actors. Gonzales is already under the spotlight for pushing his personal agenda. This is just more of the same."
A copy of the indictment can be found at www.thesmokinggun.com.
Legal
- By
