‘Girls Gone Wild’ producer pleads guilty to federal crimes

WASHINGTON – The company that produces the “Girls Gone Wild” tapes of young women baring their breasts and acting in other sexual situations pleaded guilty Tuesday to federal charges and agreed to pay fines totaling $2.1 million.

Mantra Films Inc., based in Santa Monica, Calif., made the plea in U.S. District Court in Florida on charges of failing to maintain proof of age and identification for its young performers in sexually explicit films. It also failed to label its DVDs and videotapes properly.

A second company owned by Mantra’s founder, MRA Holdings, entered into a deferred agreement on charges of improper labeling. Under that agreement with prosecutors, the charges would be dismissed after three years if MRA Holdings cooperates with future government prosecutions, admits wrongdoing and pays fines.

The two companies and their founder, Joseph Francis, will pay $2.1 million in fines and restitution.

“My companies and I acknowledge that what we did was wrong and violated federal laws,” Francis said in a statement filed in court. “We also acknowledge that as a result of these violations, footage of minors engaged in actual sexually explicit conduct appeared in at least two DVDs that were commercially released for sale to the public.”