As posted on the General Board, and the link below, another website like this one has been busted.  What do the legal minds think about this?

TER could never be charged in any of the same ways as was TBD.
TBD is personally charged with trading services for prostitution, destroying evidence, obstructing justice, on and on. TER has none of those problems.
Fortunately, TER coincidentally probaly has an offshore server in an unknown non-treaty country somewhere, so none of the records are available for confiscation. IHIMNBW.
LE froze TBD's bank accounts and will seize his home, assets, everything. He never had any sense anyhow to keep his records and money in Nevis or St Kitts or Barbados or wherever.
LE is probably running TBD right now from his jail cell, with Deputy Sheriff computer geeks at his side, trying to find other defendantss bigger than TBD. LE always charges people, then works up the food chain.

I'm not a lawyer (nor do I play one on TV), but the AP article on the bust had the following ...

"Detectives said there was nothing illegal about the discussions, and in order to arrest anyone they had to catch either the escorts or their customers in the act of committing prostitution. That was difficult."

This makes sense to me ... but when did the law ever make sense? I would love to hear one of the legal eagles comment.

Let's all be careful out there ...

MH

Sorry but TER is hosted in Fairfax, VA according to whois. As far as all the charges? Yes most of the 39-40 chrages wouldn't stick like the rico acts and so on so fourth. But there ar a few that might be at issue like promotion of prostitution and the like for advertisements TER has.

Anyone whos says it CAN'T happen to TER is in denial or hoping for the best because it is possible. Only LE will make that decision.

of the climate created by that A-holy Roller John Ashcroft. Local LE also is trying to win brownie points as well as federal funding.

Even if unsuccessful in the case against TBD, they will force the owner of TBD to spend hundreds of thousands of $$$$ to fight the case (not everyone has O.J.'s assets).

Chilling effect --  Others who would have wanted to start competitive websites may be discouraged from doing so, and existing sites may decide to shut down to avoid prosecution.

The detectives are not lawyers either.  I certainly wouldn't rely on legal advice I got from the police.

The ability of a prosecuting attorney to charge anyone under RICO is limited only by his imagination.  

This hobby is illegal in most states.  Promoting interstate travel in the hobby is a Federal crime.  Those are the facts.  Most of the time the police have better things to do than chase hobbyists.  However, where they have a specifice complaint, or where they smell $$$, drugs, or positive headlines, they'll be there.  

So be careful.  Think with your big head.

We are not hosted in Fairfax, VA... Sorry [grin]

-- Staff

I can't really comment on all we know yet on this situation other than to tell you that there were MANY other things that were done at TBD that do not occur here.  Those "other" things caused his arrest.

Stay calm, stay tuned.

-- Staff

How does free speech figure into this? It seems to me that there is nothing very different in advertising and discussing these types of services on the 'net compared to the same in various weekly independent newspapers sold in every city. Arrests and charges are one thing. Overturn in appeals court on first amendment rights?

Its too early to tell.  At this point, we only know what the charges are.  Since we don't know the facts behind the allegations, we would be hard pressed to discuss it.  More often than not, when people are charges with a crime, the police or agency investigating the crime and the prosecutors will throw what ever they can and see what sticks.  



As of right now, do your home work, check your sources and be safe.

Thank god someone other than me pointed it out... I think what some fail to recognize is that regardless of if the charges stick, the damage they've hoped to accomplish is DONE. Their neighbors know, their names and addresses have been published for any psycho to come visit, and their reputations have been damaged. One thing ladies always told me was that (regardless of the fact that I'm doing nothing illegal) if LE wants to get you... They WILL, period.

This has implications for the entire industry that cannot be shrugged off... and whining about the competition between TER and TBD is just SILLY right now... we are all in this industry TOGETHER.

Hugs*
Nicole

Hi nicole and yes your point is so right, it is sad that in a
nation that prides itself on rights, that such a thing can happen. But its a fact jack! the guys who are charged are pretty
much toast even if the charges don't stick. can you even begin to
imagine the money that it is going to take to mount a proper
defense of the charges against them? and there is also as you
pointed out, the eye of the public! this is not to say that they
will not be able to rebuild if the charges get dropped but we
all know that others will move in on the territory that has been
vacated by tbd, where there is a void and money and fortune to
gain then someone else will step up to the plate in there place!