Website operator convicted of Federal facilitating prostitution charges
MyRedbook owner sentenced under plea deal to 13 months in Federal prison in the first federal case for "facilitating prostitution".
He facilitated by running a website that had prostitute advertisements using explicit photos, graphic descriptions in prostitute ads and reviews using acronyms to describe sex acts.
He pled guilty in a plea deal in December and was sentenced 5/21/2015 to 13 months in Federal prison, he then has three years of supervised probation, gives up more than $1.28 million in assets and forfeited the domain names Redbook and sfRedbook.
Unlike TER, or P411 often used by LE, this was an honest site that many escorts used to enhance their safety and was particularity popular in CALF, but used in many cities around the U.S. and Canada. Many folks miss this good site. All website owners who allow ads or reviews should be concerned. The result is more dangerous interactions for both companions and clients for consenting adults seeking sensual options as humans are designed to seek and share.
Even in biblical times, non-cultic prostitution was common and never an issue. The "sin" was idolatry of the sex goddess prostitutes using sex to worship the fertility gods so the customers fields would produce more fruit. "Common" prostitution often mentioned with no negative inference.
Today, of course, private consenting adult sexwork is legal in many forms in most of the world. Attempts to suppress it such as the "Swedish model" are failures and increases the danger for everyone. But what would the millions going to the U.S. victim industry if there were fewer victims of repressive laws against what is a normal human desire for sexual variety.