ALTA DENA, CA – After promising to start a war on adult entertainment, the United States Justice Department under Bush-appointed Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, fired the first shots today when well-known adult entertainment producer and actor Max Hardcore was raided by federal agents. The agents, which included a Washington-based FBI agent, several local FBI agents, and one LAPD bodyguard, exercised a search warrant at Max Hardcore’s place of business and seized five movies, two of which were European versions. The only allegation at this time appears to be obscenity.According to sources close to the case, the titles seized included the following:
Pure Max # 16 (Euro Version)
Max Hardcore Fists of Fury # 3
Max Hardcore Extreme Schoolgirls #6 (Euro Version)
Max Hardcore Golden Guzzlers #5
Max Hardcore Golden Guzzlers #6
“Once again the government is wasting tax dollars and otherwise invaluable law enforcement resources to try to force a minority view of morality on all of America,” said Max Hardcore through a statement he issued earlier. “Five of my movies have been targeted by the federal prude patrol. There is no indication of any crime to be alleged except obscenity. If indicted I will fight to protect my liberty, as well as the liberty of consenting adults to watch other adults engage in lawful, consensual, pleasurable sexual action. Shame on the Bush Department of Justice. I am proud of my movies and proud of those who sell them.”
At this point Max Hardcore has not been officially charged with a crime. Federal indictments generally take six to eight months following a search of this kind, making an indictment possible just before the upcoming 2006 elections. Additionally, federal obscenity cases often start up to a year before a search warrant has been executed, making it possible that this case was started before Attorney General Gonzales announced his new war on pornography earlier this year.
Max will be represented by well known First Amendment attorney Jeffrey Douglas. The Justice Department prosecutor in charge is Jennifer Leonardo. According to sources, Leonardo is part of the Justice Department’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) and not a part of the new obscenity taskforce that Alberto Gonzales announced after taking the position of Attorney General earlier this year.
Max Hardcore is known for his controversial adult films that often include violent or graphic sexual acts. He is also known by his signature cowboy hat that he often wears during filmings and public appearances.
