We’re going to, once again, start this post off with a collective siiiiigh. It can be a sigh of disappointment, of incredulity, or of embarrassment in our federal justice system–your choice.
Federal prosecutors say they want to see Rentboy CEO Jeffrey Hurant locked away for promoting prostitution.
Just to recap: In August 2015, 51-year-old Hurant and six of his employees were arrested during a sting operation in Manhattan. Hurant was charged with promoting prostitution, as well as two other money laundering charges. He pled guilty to the charges in October 2016.
Now, nearly two years after his initial arrest, Hurant is finally scheduled to be sentenced this Friday. His lawyers asked he be spared any jail time because his business promoted an “image of positivity and pride in gay sexuality.”
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Related: BREAKING: Rentboy.com CEO Jeffrey Hurant Indicted On Prostitution Charge
They also said that Hurant had numerous consultations with lawyers over the years about how to operate his business legally, and noted the positive benefits Rentboy.com provided sex workers, including doing away with pimps looking to make money off of gay sex transactions and prohibiting underage escorts.
But prosecutors want to make a lesson out of Hurant. They insist he ran “one of the largest prostitution enterprises” and that he made millions off of the backs of illegal sex workers and he deserves to be locked away for it.
“His role as Rentboy.com’s CEO was anything but humble,” prosecutors say. “Hurant made over $300,000 annually from Rentboy.com, a sum of money that any number of criminals would envy.”
They also called Hurant’s bluff on the whole eliminating pimps from gay sex claim, saying the site “continued to deal with pimps and escort agencies until it was closed.”
Related: Rentboy CEO Breaks Silence, Begs For Help On Facebook
Meanwhile, supporters of Hurant have long claimed he has been unfairly targeted because Rentboy.com featured gay sex.
U.S. District Judge Margo Brodie will ultimately decide what the punishment will be. Sentencing guidelines, prosecutors say, recommend 15 to 21 months.
Prosecutors are pushing very hard for those 15-20 months.
“Without actual punishment in this case,” they said, “the operators of those websites will likely conclude that . . . they can expect only a slap on the wrist, hardly the type of punishment that would dissuade someone from the significant money that can be obtained through this type of criminal activity.”
crowebobby
“,,, $300,000 annually from Rentboy.com, a sum of money that any number of criminals would envy.” But chump change to a politician.
Paul
His earnings are immaterial to his legal case. He’s guilty of a victimless crime. The law should be silent about it.
galatians328
Coercion has victims. Coercion – physically, emotionally, or financially. Coercion – by threats to do something, or threats not to do something. Children, youth, and young adults may not be legally able to provide consent and are therefore, obviously, coerced. Homeless persons are desperate and may easily be coerced. Persons with mental disturbances – cognitive, emotional, addictions, etc – are easily coerced. Elders are easily coerced. Sex work that is not regulated is highly susceptible to coercion, and creates many victims. Consumers can also be victims in unregulated sex work: sex workers – and Rentboy or other pimping agencies – do not provide liability insurance, do not have complaint or grievance procedures. And not compliant with public health and pubic safety. etc. Sex work is OBVIOUSLY a hazardous industry the requires HEAVY REGULATION. Until you apologists get off your arses and demand that sex work be LEGALIZED AND HEAVILY REGULATED the criminal law will have to suffice.
Sluggo2007
@galatians328 – That’s enough out of you, goody two shoes. Go sit in the corner and read your Bible.
[email protected]
If this were about a female prostitute there would be no time involved.
When they start sending the Wall Street bankers to prison first, then they should start addressing these victimless crimes.
galatians328
Coercion has victims. Coercion – physically, emotionally, or financially. Coercion – by threats to do something, or threats not to do something. Children, youth, and young adults may not be legally able to provide consent and are therefore, obviously, coerced. Homeless persons are desperate and may easily be coerced. Persons with mental disturbances – cognitive, emotional, addictions, etc – are easily coerced. Elders are easily coerced. Sex work that is not regulated is highly susceptible to coercion, and creates many victims. Consumers can also be victims in unregulated sex work: sex workers – and Rentboy or other pimping agencies – do not provide liability insurance, do not have complaint or grievance procedures. And not compliant with public health and pubic safety. etc. Sex work is OBVIOUSLY a hazardous industry the requires HEAVY REGULATION. Until you apologists get off your arses and demand that sex work be LEGALIZED AND HEAVILY REGULATED the criminal law will have to suffice.
KaiserVonScheiss
Stupid. Nothing but government abuse.
BigG
Yes with all of the terrorist beheadings, North Korea about to bomb us, God forbid an adult male pays another willing male For an orgasm. Stupid.
o.codone
There is already a ton of legislation that keeps the government out of citizen’s bedrooms. So, why does this prostitution law stand? Either the government regulates all of our personal lives and sex lives or it regulates NONE OF IT. Stupid twats really should go find better things to do.
galatians328
Sex work is not ‘private lives’. It is COMMERCE. ALL COMMERCE must be regulated to protect both producers and consumers.
o.codone
I’m sorry to post a second time, BUT. That should have been Hurant’s defense, that at least half of the vice crimes on the books have fallen by the wayside in the last 50 years and it’s just a matter of time until this one does too. The trend is clear, towards freedom from government interference in people’s personal lives. Instead his attorney chose another route, arguing that yes, he WAS a Madam, but a nice, organized, fair-minded cyber Madam and that he raised the bar on how prostitution should be conducted. The Mark Zuckerberg of whores. So, if Hurant goes to jail, blame the short-sighted attorney. There was a better case to be made here but the attorney missed the boat. Good luck to Hurant.
galatians328
Sex work is not ‘personal lives’. It is COMMERCE. Commercial transactions must be regulated.
ErikO
Prostitution is not a victimless crime. The majority of prostitutes both women and men, and trans people are forced into it, and have been the victims of human trafficking. I do not feel bad for this idiot since on his site he advertised men who were victims of human trafficking and he thought he could get away with money laundering when he’s an idiot.
ChrisK
Are you just trolling or are you really that stupid? Were talking about mostly gay men selling to other gay men.
h2146184
@ChrisK Come to Asia to see how young men are trafficked. This law protects millions of vulnerable people.
DCguy
So which high level politicians or people were using his service and got scared and pushed for this prosecution? I notice they didn’t go after any of the blatant straight prostitution sites. They went after them after the Ashley Madison hack.
Sluggo2007
Excellent point!
Tobi
He was an idiotic show off. If he’d domiciled the business in a country or even a state where prostitution was legal, he wouldn’t have had any problems. That’s how all the other sites such as Rentmen, SleepyBoy, RentMasseur, etc. do it, they have their offices and servers in places like the Netherlands, Spain, Bulgaria, etc.
Kangol
Sex work involving uncoerced, consenting ADULTS should not be illegal anywhere in the US.
galatians328
ABSOLUTELY, so long as the laws of consent are highly protective to both/all parties, and of public health and public safety (which is the public’s interest), and so long as the sex work is HEAVILY REGULATED as is any other hazardous occupation and risky transaction.