Adult movie-maker Clinton McCowen, known in the industry as Ray Guhn, along with others employed by his business, may face additional charges stemming from their June arrests on obscenity, solicitation of prostitution, and racketeering charges, according to the lead prosecutor in the case.
On Thursday, Florida Assistant State Attorney Russ Edgar told the Navarre (Fla.) Press that another person will be arrested in the case, “and we probably will be adding charges on at least one of [the defendants].”
McCowen, 45, Kevin Patrick Stevens, 36, and Andrew Kevin Craft, 38, operated Ray Guhn Productions and the six-year-old adult affiliate program CashTitans.com, which generated revenues of more than $1 million per year, according to court documents. The businesses fell under scrutiny when neighbors complained that Guhn and his associates shot adult movies at four residences in Escambia and Santa Rose counties and sought “local talent” for sexually explicit movie roles paying as much as $1,000. Within the past five years, more than 100 people accepted offers to appear in the adult movies, according to the indictments.
Nationally known First Amendment attorney Lawrence G. Walters, who represents McCowen, told AVNOnline.com on Saturday, “They’re now looking to pile on more charges, as if a 30-year felony isn’t bad enough for publishing protected expression. This case has some significant implications for the [adult] industry.”
On Thursday he told the Navarre Press, “The attempt to use the prostitution statutes to censor erotic movies has not been tried in Florida before.” However, Walters has noted in the past, People v. Freeman (1994) declared the use of prostitution statutes to censor adult materials unconstitutional, thereby setting up California as one of the few states in which the production of sexually explicit materials is explicitly protected. He said a court’s rejection of the state’s arguments in the current cases could result in significant additional protection for the adult entertainment industry in Florida, as well.
McCowen, Stevens, and Craft are free on bail pending trial. If convicted on the racketeering charges, each man could face 30 years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
Guhn has sold the CashTitans affiliate program and its associated websites.
