Sentencing was handed down today in the first federal obscenity case in nearly a decade, as a former Dallas police officer and his wife were sentenced to serve 33 months and 30 months, respectively, in federal prison for selling videos deemed obscene by a grand jury.
Garry Ragsdale, 35, and his wife Tamara, 33, were each convicted of one count of conspiracy to mail obscene material, two counts of mailing obscene material and aiding and abetting last October.
The videos in question included Brutally Raped IV, V, and VI, which are from a Dutch studio. Unlabeled tapes, as well as some from Florida-based ZFX were presented during the trial.
The videos in question were pirated, with the couple duping tapes from their home, though charges for that crime were not filed.
The Forth Worth Star-Telegram reports that Garry Ragsdale, who is currently working as a physical trainer, asked for leniency for his wife. The now estranged couple have three children.
Local authorities began investigating the Ragsdales in 1998 after being tipped off by a German who found the couples' Website. The case was dropped in anticipation of a more severe penalty from the state of Texas. However, Garry Ragsdale was let go from his position as a patrol officer on the police force because the police chief felt that Ragsdale had broken local obscenity laws.
Eventually the state dropped their case as well, saying that do so “was in the interest of justice.”
Then in July of 2002 the case was re-opened by request of the Department of Justice. In March of 2003 an indictment was handed down.
The couple is currently out on bail during their appeal.
Fellow Texan Jon Coil and his family and a number of his associates are also currently facing federal obscenity charges, as are Rob Black and Extreme Video.
