Friday, Jan 13, 2006    Text size: 

Wilson also will avoid jail time and any felony conviction under the terms of his plea agreement. Attorney Lawrence Walters told XBiz that Wilson will pay a fine of $500 and receive a probation period of five years.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 21, at which time Wilson’s probation period will begin. Until that time, he will be allowed to operate his website for up to 90 days. Once his probation period begins, he has agreed to cut ties with the adult Internet business for the duration of his probation period.

Walters added that Wilson denied any fault and maintained his innocence throughout the case, including during plea negotiations.

“We feel this is an appropriate resolution for Mr. Wilson, which now eliminates any threat of incarceration of additional charges,” Walters told XBiz. “He is relieved to put this behind him, and is considering some other future opportunities.”

Walters added that defense counsel still expects the appellate court to issue a ruling regarding why it granted Wilson’s release from Polk County Jail at the end of December, which could “significantly impact many legal issues relating to Internet obscenity cases.”

Wilson’s plea was entered today in Polk County Circuit Court, after lengthy plea negotiations that occurred after his release from jail.

Wilson’s site was back in business earlier this week, with many of the adult images and content restored.

Wilson was initially arrested on Oct. 7 by Polk County sheriff's deputies, but he posted bail and continued operating his website. However, in December, Judge Dale Durrance revoked Wilson’s $151,000 bail and remanded him to custody at Polk County Jail, though all explicit material had been removed from his site by that time. Wilson was originally denied immediate release during December, before an appellate court reversed the decision and granted his release on Dec. 29.