by Josh Grossberg
Wed, 13 Dec 2006 03:11:00 PM PST

Joe Francis is getting off—but it's not going to be easy.

The mastermind behind the popular Girls Gone Wild franchise was sentenced Wednesday to community service, and his company, Mantra Films, was ordered to pay $1.6 million in criminal fines for including minors in his raunchy candid-camera videos.

Francis could have faced up to 10 years in prison because the counts were felonies, but his attorneys ironed out a deal with prosecutors that allowed him to avoid jail time.

Per the deal, the company pleaded guilty Sept. 12 to three counts of violating record-keeping laws by not documenting the ages and identities of the females appearing in the DVDs, some of whom turned out to be underage.

He and his firm also agreed to pay the large financial penalty and submit to outside auditing of its bookkeeping to ensure compliance with the law.

Francis, 33, was in a federal court in Panama City, Florida, to hear his punishment. Before leveling the penalty, U.S. District judge Richard Smoak told Francis that fines weren't harsh enough—$1.6 million represents just 3 percent of Mantra's profits since 2002. The judge also made Francis read a statement from one of the victims.

"It does not take a very brave man to go out and corner a girl in the middle of spring break who had four drinks," the judge said.

Smoak ordered Francis to perform eight hours of community service a month for 30 months. Mantra's president, general counsel and chief financial officer were also sentenced to the same amount of community service.

However, the judge gave the Girls guru the option of getting his fellow corporate officers off the hook by doing their community service for them, increasing his requirement to 16 hours a month.

No immediate word on whether Francis will take up the offer. Francis' Los Angeles-based attorney, Aaron Dyer, could not be reached for comment. However, Dyer told the Associated Press that his client doesn’t plan to appeal the sentence and noted that Mantra Films has taken corrective action to prevent a repeat of those previous criminal violations.

The Justice Department filed another federal complaint in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles against another GGW entity, MRA Holdings, on similar charges of improper labeling. Francis & Co. cut a deal with prosecutors in which MRA acknowledged wrongdoing and Francis would not serve any time, but instead would pay a $500,000 fine. In return, as long as the company cooperates with the feds and stays out of trouble for three years, the government would dismiss all charges. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 22.

Francis' legal woes don't stop there, though things are looking up.

Last week, prosecutors in Panama City dropped 35 out of 43 criminal counts against the producer and his firms, including racketeering, prostitution and encouraging underage hotties to indulge in X-rated behaviors, resulting from a spring break video shoot there in 2003.

Assistant State Attorney Mark Graham said his office did not have sufficient evidence to go forward on those charges, but will press ahead with trying him on second-degree felony charges of using minors in sexual performances, a crime that could net him up to 15 years in the slammer.

http://www.eonline.com/news/article/...3-1c58a4b292e8

Better late than never...although I hate the light sentence.

hmmm.... so when they figure out who the 'minors' are will they be given consequences also for underage drinking. If they're holding everyone responsible they should hold Everyone responsible:

"It does not take a very brave man to go out and corner a girl in the middle of spring break who had four drinks," the judge said.

IF not then i find this to be complete BS, why not also go after the underage drinkers since the judge is basically saying that the girls are intoxicated?

Have you ever seen the girls gone wild DVDs? Ohmigosh some of those girls look like they are 14 and 15 years old taking off there clothes...

I am not an expert however some of those girls do indeed really look very young.

I guess Mr. Girls Gone Wild invited the Judge to on of the Girls gone wild parties.... DVD to come out soon...

Some people just have all the luck in making money and more money...

i'm 30 and have gotten carded for cigs and alcohol as far back ago as last week some people just have good genes

Hmmm it was a very depressing day on the day I was not carded anymore....

I think it's ridiculous to say that every guy wants to bang 14 and 15.....or even 16 year old girls. Banging girls usually requires talking to them, and most of the men I know have no interest in talking to teenage girls. The one guy I do know that has consistently pursued relationships with middle/high-schoolers is considered pretty deviant and everyone thinks he's fucking nasty.

im dissappointed about the light sentence. i think he deserved to do some jail time. and 16 hours isnt really alot when you think about it.

LOL.

LMAO.

Who knew you could be funny?

The article says 8 hours per month for 30 months. That's 240 hours total...and it's quite a bit.

He's still facing a possible prison sentence though.

Being well read does not make a person smart. You very much act your age, whether you'd like to admit it or not.

If I read half of the things you post (that you think are so intelligent) to people I know, who are significantly older and probably more educated in the subjects you are attempting to grasp, I think at least 9 out of 10 would probably shudder. The other one would laugh.

Sometimes you kind of remind me of a 17 year old girl I know. She's very bright--but she very much acts like a 17 year old girl. Furthermore, she has really big gaps in her knowledge, which is something she will not admit. She will argue and argue and argue about the dumbest shit. It's really annoying and no one can really tolerate her for more than twenty minutes. She'll probably be cool when she's older and a little mellowed though.

we are the same age and alot of people in our generation think they are sooo mature but they arent. Im not saying you are stupid im just saying its typical to think you are wiser than your years.

They way you talk about the subjects you talk about in-depth would suggest that you are, in fact, trying to grasp the subjects.

It's not a matter of being naive. It's a matter of being immature in thought patterns and behavior. Even if the subject matter you are talking about is not as "fluffy" as the subjects many of your peers talk about.

No. I did not say that. I just said that you don't really have a grasp on the subjects you talk about.

You also seem to suffer from a general inability to read and comprehend.

You have very limited knowledge. VERY. And I think you like it that way. Someday you'll have more, and you probably won't be nearly as annoying as you are now when that day comes.