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The ringleader of the sex trafficking operation, Michael James Pratt, remains at large. | Bill Oxford

Victims of GirlsDoPorn awarded ownership of content, $18 million in restitution

A federal court has recently ordered that all rights to videos and images produced by the GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys websites be granted to hundreds of victims filmed through the use of “force, fraud, and coercion,” a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) press release said.

Ruben Andre Garcia, an adult film performer and producer, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for conspiring with the owners of the websites in sex trafficking operations, the release said. As part of the Dec. 15 restitution order, Garcia will also be required to pay $18 million to the victims.

“This is an extremely important ruling that returns power to the victims by giving them control of the images and videos that caused them so much pain and suffering,” Acting U.S. Attorney Randy Grossman said in the release.

Garcia and his accomplices recruited young women to appear on the websites by assuring them the content would not be released in the U.S. or posted online, the release said. The videos and photos were then put on their website behind a subscription fee that garnered approximately $17 million for the defendants. Some videos were also posted on pornhub.com, one of the world’s most popular websites, and viewed millions of times.

“An important step in this long healing process is for the victims to be able to take back control of their lives,” FBI Special Agent in Charge Suzanne Turner said in the release. “This ruling helps to facilitate that shift while the FBI aggressively pursues the lone outstanding fugitive in this case - and its ringleader - Michael James Pratt.”

Pratt, 36, is still at large and faces several counts of sex trafficking, including trafficking of a minor, the release said. He is also charged with the production of child pornography. The FBI is offering $50,000 for information leading to his arrest.

“Any victims seeking the right to enforce this order and any additional victims of these alleged crimes are encouraged to call the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or go to https://tips.fbi.gov/,” the release said.

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