WASHINGTON - A federal jury in Tampa, Fla., convicted Paul F. Little and his adult entertainment company, MaxWorld Entertainment Inc. (MaxWorld), of obscenity crimes, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Matthew Friedrich and Chief Postal Inspector Alexander Lazaroff announced today.
Following a seven-day trial, the Tampa jury found Little, 50, of Altadena, Calif., and MaxWorld guilty of all charged counts of transporting obscene matter by use of an interactive computer service and mailing obscene matter. At sentencing on Sept. 5, 2008, Little faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 5 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each count of conviction as well as forfeiture of all domain names. MaxWorld faces a separate $250,000 fine.
Little, a/k/a "Max Hardcore" or "Max Steiner," is a nationally-known producer, director and star of pornographic DVDs and video clips. In his films, he is shown engaging in violent and extreme sexual acts with female performers, including urination, "fisting" and vomiting. Little markets his products through his websites and MaxWorld.
Little and MaxWorld were indicted in May 2007 on five counts of transporting obscene matter by use of an interactive computer service and five counts of mailing obscene matter. The charges stemmed from materials the defendants offered via the MaxHardcore.com Web site. The indictment alleged that Little, through MaxWorld, used this Web site and the U.S. mail service to distribute films that meet the U.S. Supreme Court's standards for obscenity.
At trial, the jury heard evidence and testimony about specific transactions in which Little and MaxWorld distributed obscene materials online and by mail in Tampa. The jury learned that on Jan. 18, 2006, investigators purchased an online membership to the MaxHardcore.com Web site and downloaded five trailers - promotional video clips of full-length feature films - that were available through MaxWorld. The jury also heard that on March 13, 2007, an undercover postal inspector bought five DVDs from the Web site, all of which depicted violent and extreme sexual acts, and which Little also produced. The DVDs were delivered to a post office box in Tampa on March 28 and March 30, 2007.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys LisaMarie Freitas and Edward J. McAndrew of the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Florida. The case was investigated the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the FBI. Computer forensic analysis and trial testimony was provided by the CEOS's High Tech Investigative Unit.
###
08-507