THAILAND — Veteran adult producer John Gilbert Bowen, aka John T. Bone, and two other men were arrested Friday in Pattaya, Thailand by local authorities and are to be charged with “making videos of an offensive and sexually explicit nature,” according to the Pattaya Daily News.Also arrested Friday were Kyle Mark Micgram (aka Vin Cross) and Paul Sangsuwan (aka Chuck Wow), who were with Bowen in his apartment at the time it was raided by the local police.
The apartment reportedly was set up as a content production studio, equipped with lights, and camera equipment, as well as stocked with wardrobe materials for performers to wear during photo and video shoots.
Bowen allegedly admitted to renting the apartment as a production studio, starting approximately five months ago, and producing content which was subsequently uploaded to a website operated by Bowen and Micgram.
According to the Daily News, Bowen told police that as most of the customers for his site were from outside of Thailand, he didn’t think his website would be viewed as illegal under Thai law, which prohibits the production, distribution and sale of pornography.
Police reportedly responded by telling Bowen and his partners that their business model was entirely illegal under Thai law, and “especially offensive to the Thai people and its culture,” in the words of the Daily News.
According to the Associated Press, Bowen and his associates face a maximum penalty of three years in prison, and a fine of up to 6,000 baht (approximately $185 USD).
The three men likely will be charged with production of offensive and sexually explicit videos, taken to court in Thailand, and then be handed off to the Thai Immigration Department for deportation to their respective countries of residence, according to the Daily News.
The Pattaya police conceded that they were aware that many similar sites are operating out of Thailand, and told the Daily News they intend to shut all such sites down, once they have assembled the necessary evidence to do so.
