Today Jeffrey Hurant, the former CEO of escort site Rentboy, was sentenced to prison in Brooklyn federal court.
Prosecutors initially suggested 15 to 21 months in jail, although District Judge Margo K. Brodie ultimately sentenced him to six months.
Brodie denied the defense’s attempt to modify sentencing on Tuesday, which suggests she may have been strongly considering sentencing Hurant to the full 21 months.
Related: Rentboy CEO Breaks Silence, Begs For Help On Facebook
In August 2015, the Rentboy offices were raided and shut down by Homeland Security. A handful of employees were arrested along with Hurant that day, but their charges were dropped or they took deals.
Hurant pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
The sentence also included a $7,500 fine.
Judge Brodie characterizes Rentboy as “the very thing that is illegal” although, surprisingly, she also recognized that “there is no question it did a lot of good.”
“What I have before me,” she said, “is two decades of committing a crime, and of Mr. Hurant knowing he’s committing a crime. That can’t go unpunished.”
His prison term will begin later this month.
As he left the courtroom, Hurant gave this statement to the media and a crowd of supporters:
I believe that consensual sex work between adults should be decriminalized and destigmatized. But that hasn’t happened yet. My business was ultimately illegal, but it shouldn’t have been. We must fearlessly fight for the rights to allow consensual adults to choose what they do with their bodies.
jkthsnk
I want to live some place where we can all be adults.
Ummmm Yeah
Vegas or New Orleans are your closest options to that.
Kangol
In the US, sex work between or involving non-coerced, consensual adults should be legal. There is no reason whatsoever beyond antiquated moralistic standards that this remains illegal in the US.
roth99
You can only have legal prostitution outside Las Vegas and Clark County. It is legal in all the rest but around Reno as well. LV is not very escort friendly though many vids are made here as well as escorts on other sites. There is little chance that the clients will face arrest but the escorts can and do from time to time. Still, as in most cities and other areas there is a very busy escort business going on at all times and I think it far preferable to the street walkers or Craig’s List where one does not know anything about the escort.
Mark
I agree people should be allowed to do whatever with their body but I disagree they are not paying taxes on the money they receive. These sex workers escort for cash which is not reported. At least legalize it so everyone sex worker or not pays taxes.
Jacques
I agree, if they Legalize It then they will have no choice but to pay taxes on the income they earn from the work they do.
ChrisK
Were getting there. Look at MJ legalization. 15 years ago it was a taboo subject to even bring up. Of coarse you’ve got to hurry up and impeach trump and his cronies and a new congress of coarse.
o.codone
ChrisK, did you say “of coarse” ? Twice? So, you’re either black or you’re a hillbilly.
jkb
O.codone, and you’re either a condescending prick or… no that’s it
dinard38
O.Codone And you’re a racist d**k.
o.codone
Meanwhile, ChrisK is googling sh*it, but still doesn’t know what’s wrong. “What’s he talking about”?And, jkb, thanks for the literal lol. Hhahhahaha.
Mick406
I think what o.codone meant was that most blacks hate Trump and want him out of office. Perhaps this was a political rant and not a racist remark.
BigG
Such a waste of tax payers money. It’s consensual. This guy provided a service for men who chose to pay for companionship. Complete bs. People should have a right to do what they want with their body
Mkiel
well said. This was a victimless “crime” & the case smacks of homophobia. Madison which was promoting adutery & possible break up of families got off scot free.
Rich85
The fact that this is still considered a crime is ridiculous. While touring Pompeii in Italy recently I was impressed by the number of brothels as well as the erect penises carved into the stone streets and walls pointing the way to these brothels. Our guide explained without a hint of judgement that this was where recreational sex took place, both of a heterosexual and homosexual nature and was considered completely normal. Seems we were more enlightened almost 4 thousand years ago than we are now.
Although annoying prudes and Christian conservative would probably claim that’s what caused Mt. Vesuvius to explode… oy!
tdnte
Its legal in lots of civilised countries, like my own.
kcguy
Sad it should be decriminalized and legal
KaiserVonScheiss
Ridiculous that this is a federal issue. It should be up to the states to determine the legality of prostitution.
PinkoOfTheGange
The site was nationwide. Federal Jurisdiction by definition.
mc4bbs
Has anyone noticed how quick they were to move in and shut down RENTBOY.COM shortly after a mess of conservatives were caught with their pants down from the Ashley Madison hack? I don’t think it was a coincidence!
hwc2016
What he should have done since biz was, as we all know illegal, kept it on the down low~ you can’t promote an “Academy Awards for hookers” & think no one is going to notice. That’s like telling everyone in your apartment complex, you sale drugs.
ChrisK
Allot of things could’ve been done different but who knows.
The judge talked code here saying he did a allot of good but due to it being illegal she had to punish him. They system needs to be changed for sure.
Mick406
Although, spending 6 months or so in prison will be no fun, I think he got off lightly and especially with the $7,500 fine. He made a ton of money off of his services. Surely, he won’t have any problems paying that fine off.
adrianjurado310
these twinkies are the bomb
jgamet
He’s going down for all the republican officials who had used the website. Plain and simple he’s a scapegoat after the AM hack.
Mkiel
Exactly
Kris
That’s too bad… it’s the world’s oldest prefession… I used to pay for it sometimes and sometimes I got paid for it … I agree with what he said completely.
Brian
I can’t help but see this decision as homophobic. Congressmen are routinely caught with escorts, but then they can apologize – on camera! – and take time off to be with family. No one ever prosecutes the companies that do this for straight people. They’re grossed out that the consenting adults were all men.
Jaws1780
Not exactly. Remember that Ashley Madison (the unfaithful whore of a website) was shut down too.
Tobi
Ashley Madison is still up and running.
Smith David
This is the oldest business in all of mankind’s history. It’s funny because many of those prosecuting him have probably paid for sex themselves. Just legalize the thing and put strict laws on it if you want and move on. This is the least of America’s problems. Sheeesssh!
Let the man get off;)..hehe
Captain Obvious
Now we have people shouting to legalize prostitution? Jesus I miss the 90s.
PinkoOfTheGange
When I went to 2 funerals a week..oh yeaa ha was fun.
gayjim1969
Another trollish comment from Captain Oblivious. FYI, people were shouting for the legalization of prostitution in the 90’s as well–the 1890’s and the 1990’s.
tdnte
So much for the vaunted American ‘entrepreneurship’.
Rex Huskey
There is so much Derek de Koff did not report here one is left searching for other www sites for the complete story.
ChrissyK and DCGurl are now an “item” and neither can spell! Check ’em out…
Daniel-Reader
Whatever happened to all the Secret Service personnel who hire prostitutes all over the world? It seems ongoing and neverending. New York Times did a news story about it. And what happened to the lead investigator who was looking into it who himself was then found to be doing the same thing? Seems rather hypocritical for the entire situation?
JerseyMike
But Backpage can still run ads for prostitution… A lot of them are teenage girls… Oh.. forgot.. Girls!!
Zan3y
It’s legal in New Zealand
o.codone
But all New Zealand has is sheep. OOOOOOOOOOh I get it.
derek mcgillicuddy
His mistake was operating his website from the United States, where prostitution is illegal. Should’ve moved it to Amsterdam or Berlin and paid the taxes. Did you know in Germany they audit every single tax return, and for “cash” work they follow you around and tabulated your earnings? So, if you’re a hustler you have to report to your agent what you earned after each assignation.
Jaws1780
I believe that consensual sex work between adults should be decriminalized and destigmatized. But that hasn’t happened yet. My business was ultimately illegal, but it shouldn’t have been. We must fearlessly fight for the rights to allow consensual adults to choose what they do with their bodies.
Um…shouldn’t he have tried to settle that before he started the business?
Josh447
“Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned ” i.e Ashley Madison. Same here but replace woman w homophobe.
Josh447
He got sentenced to 6mo.
Heywood Jablowme
His barber deserves a prison sentence.
Jack Meoff
Amen to that! What is it with guys who exist in the gay ghetto and these weird looks they go for
Esscourt
????
Esscourt
LOL
eliasadc
bullshit they should make those site legal…..there are plenty of other websites that have gay males escorts. why not take them down too?
BriBri
If we no longer hear from DCGuy, we’ll know his alias was really Jeffrey Hurant.
seaguy
That it is still illegal to hire an escort is so wrong. He shouldn’t even have to serve 6 minutes. The US is so backwards when it comes to sex.
Esscourt
We can thank our dear evangelical Christians for that!!!!
gayjim1969
@Esscourt–We can also thank our Puritan immigrant ancestors for our country’s squeamish attitude toward sex, as well as our historical legal prohibitions against its private and public practices; they believed that the church–and society–had the right to dictate what people did in the bedroom. Evangelical Christians are their ideological descendants.
Chris
Prosecuting this case was a waste of money. It’s only a matter of time before something less centralized and harder to regulate pops up. … As long as there’s a market, people will engage in sex work.
Tobi
Jeffrey Hurant is an idiot, all he had to do is domicile the company and the servers in a country where prostitution is legal, which is what Rentmen, Sleepboy, Rentmasseur etc. have all done.
Bromancer7
I’m pretty sure the money laundering part was far more an issue than the prostitution part. Everyone seems to leave that bit out.
Creamsicle
Like many posting here, I feel like prostitution should be legal and heavily regulated for the sake of public health. Honestly, we can legally jump out of airplanes, go climb Half Dome, and buy guns by the dick load, but legal prostitution would end society? Bitch, please.
But I think it’s very telling that after many years of knowingly breaking the law, But any received a reduced sentence of only 6 months in jail. Chances are that he’ll qualify for parole and be out within 3 months. Judtice is not blind. She’s totally for sale. Think of the street level hustlers and hookers out there who would get the book thrown at them rather than a reduced sentence and a $7500 fine.
This is either a sign that the justice system is broken and corrupted by money and an obsession with classism, OR (and I hope this is the case) the tide is turning on public opinion towards prostitution.
winemaker
To Rich 85: FY, Pompeii, originally a Greek city was founded in the 5th century BC and was old when vesuvius blew its stack 2000 years ago, not four thousand years ago. Prostitution should have been legalized years ago. Time for the religious right to butt out of legislative issues. In countries where it’s legal, the prostitutes must register, take periodic health exams and pay taxes on their earnings, like all legitimate business, plain and simple. This BULLS**T of keeping it underground and illegal is just that, BULL**T! In Nevada, which has had legal prostitution for years now, there’s a lower rate of STDS and sex crimes. My feeling is that what two or more consenting adults wish to do with their bodies in private is no ones damned business, pure and simple!
rmarin776
Times reported that this website earned him 10 million.
I agree that sex work should be decriminalized but I don’t think that he provided this platform for strictly humanitarian purposes.