ALTA DENA, CA – YNOT has learned that the Federal Bureau of Investigations has returned Max Hardcore’s servers to his Florida-based ISP, and although Mr. Hardcore’s California servers have not yet been returned, maxhardcore.com is back up.Mr. Hardcore’s attorney Jeffrey Douglas has arranged an agreement for the FBI to mirror the drives that are currently in the FBI’s possession, and for the remaining servers to be returned as soon as possible.
Yesterday, federal law enforcement agents acting on behalf of the acting on behalf of US Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) conducted a raid today on Max Hardcore’s studio, Max World Entertainment, in an obscenity probe related to five specific titles produced by Max World.
Copies of all five videos were seized; the titles in question were:
Pure Max 16 (Euro Version), Max hardcore Fists of Fury 3, Max Hardcore Extreme Schoolgirls 6 (Euro Version), Max Hardcore Golden Guzzlers 5 and Max Hardcore Golden Guzzlers 6.
A search warrant was also served at Mr. Hardcore’s ISP in Florida, where according to a press release on the FSC website, agents seized the primary and backup servers that support maxhardcore.com.
In addition to the servers, performer ID document were also seized. According to Douglas, even though Max Hardcore is a member of the FSC, the current stipulated agreement that prevents the DOJ from enforcing 2257 federal record-keeping and labeling laws against FSC members until after a federal judge rules on a pending motion for a preliminary injunction is not applicable when IDs are seized in the course of an obscenity investigation. Douglas said, however, that IDs seized in the raid were limited to the performers who appeared in the 5 seized tapes.
In a statement released by Douglas yesterday, Mr. Hardcore said “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. 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 the movies I make and proud of those who buy and sell those movies.”
According to Douglas, it could take six months to a year or longer for a federal indictment to be filed, should the DOJ decide to prosecute the case.
