LOS ANGELES—Derek Hay, owner of adult talent agency LA Direct Models, was charged Tuesday morning with two counts of pandering by procuring in connection with an overall 12-count indictment that also levies similar charges against the two principals of a website that bills itself as a “gallery of all American adult stars.”
According to the Los Angeles County Superior Court docket, the two charges against Hay are listed as violations of Penal Code 266I(A)(1), which the California Legislative Information website defines as "Procur[ing] another person for the purpose of prostitution." The site notes that such a charge is "punishable by imprisonment in the state prison for three, four, or six years."
The two individuals associated with the website in question received a combined 10 various charges either individually or as a pair, some matching Hay's and others falling under Penal Code 266H, the California code for pimping, which carries the same prescribed sentencing.
These charges come in the midst of the ongoing case against Hay before the Labor Standards Division of the California Department of Industrial Relations, which ended hearings in late November but has yet to see a decision rendered. Brought by five former LA Direct clients, and involving multiple accusations of mistreatment against Hay, the complaint aims to have LA Direct’s agency license revoked, and see the five former clients awarded monetary damages and declaratory relief.
This is a developing story; AVN will report further details when they become available.
(Ed. note: This story was updated at 9:48 a.m. Thursday to clarify the specifics of the charges filed in the indictment.)
