SHREVEPORT, LA – The organizer and promoter of an annual Louisiana music festival was arrested last Friday on charges of obscenity and money laundering for allegedly arranging on-stage sex acts at the Freaknik festival on July 30th, according to a report from the Associated Press.According to the AP report, Benson Bell of Shreveport was charged with obscenity for allegedly staging oral sex acts in public and money laundering in connection with selling DVDs depicting the event.
“What consenting adults do in private is not our concern,” said Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator, according to the AP. “However, oral sex exhibitions in public for profit is our concern, and we will take action against this lewd and disgusting behavior.”
Freaknik, held 25 miles north of Shreveport in Gilliam, LA, is an annual event that has traditionally included musical performances, auto shows, and thong contests among its featured events.
According to Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Cindy Chadwick, at this year’s event, two men were selected from the audience of over 200 people to “participate in oral sex with a woman who was believed to be part of the production,” according to the AP.
Subsequently, an undercover deputy purchased a DVD of the event, entitled the Raw, Uncut Version of Freaknik 2K6, from a booth rented by Bell at a Shreveport barber shop. Chadwick said that in addition to the on-stage oral sex, the DVD also shows nude dancing that took place at the event.
Sales of the DVD were the basis for the money laundering charge, according to Chadwick.
Based on the DVD evidence, State District Judge Eugene Bryson signed an arrest warrant for Bell, as well as a subpoena for Bell’s bank records, according to the AP.
Chadwick told the AP that detectives are also working to identify the individuals who participated in the public sex acts documented on the DVD.
