Texan Pleads Guilty to Obscenity

FORT WORTH, Texas—Leroy Moore Sr., the putative owner or former owner of five adult-oriented businesses in the Fort Worth and Austin areas, pleaded guilty to one out of 23 obscenity counts against him: admitting to conspiring to engage in the business of selling or transferring obscene matter.

Moore, who was named in the suit along with Goalie Entertainment owner and Free Speech Coalition honoree Edward Wedelstedt, earlier pleaded guilty to tax evasion and an illegal firearm possession charge.

The obscenity suit stems from six pieces of content viewable at one or all of the adult businesses Moore allegedly owns in Tarrant and Travis Counties. [The earlier tax evasion charge alleged that Moore conspired with partner Beverly Kay Van Dusen to obfuscate the true ownership of the adult businesses, claiming that Moore was only a consultant and not the owner.]

The six videos were available as pay-per-minute peep shows, which Moore admitted were obscene and which the presiding judge, the U.S. District Court’s Ed Kinkeade, noted were not constitutionally protected.

The suit states that the videos depicted “hard core sexual intercourse, including genital-genital, oral-genital, anal-genital, and oral-anal sexual contact between persons of the same or opposite sex, or lascivious simulated sexual intercourse where the genitals, breast, or pubic area of the performer was exhibited.“

Moore is awaiting sentencing on the firearm charge. His obscenity charge, for which he will face sentencing on Sept. 29, carries a maximum jail term of five years and a fine of $250,000 and restitution.

The other defendants, including Wedelstedt. go on trial in January unless a plea is entered beforehand. Moore has agreed to cooperate with federal authorities in the prosecution of the other defendants.

Copyright © 2024 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Age Verification: FSC's Mike Stabile Reports from the Frontlines

Two years into the religiously-inspired crusade to ban free access to adult material in the U.S. through carefully drafted "age verification" legislation, the constant onslaught of state-by-state proposals and laws — many of them copied from each other — can be hard to follow.

Holiday Products Signs Distro Deal With Emojibator

Holiday Products has signed a distribution deal with pleasure brand Emojibator.

Bella Rolland Toplines 'The Sex Impulse' From Sweet Sinner

Bella Rolland headlines "The Sex Impulse," the latest release from Mile High Media studio brand Sweet Sinner.

SWPA to Hold Facebook Live Event Next Month

The Sexual Wellness Professionals Alliance (SWPA) will be holding a Facebook Live event on May 1 at 6 p.m. (PDT).

Judge Acquits Backpage Defendants of Most Charges Before 2nd Retrial

A federal judge acquitted former co-owner of Backpage.com Michael Lacey and two co-defendants on most of the counts remaining from the protracted trial launched against the website operators by the Justice Department in 2018.

Adult Time Partners With Animation Studio 3DGspot

Adult Time has signed a deal to distribute content on its streaming platform from animation studio 3DGspot.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp Signs Age Verification Bill Into Law

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp this week signed into law a bill that includes provisions requiring age verification for viewing adult content in Georgia, mirroring legislation being sponsored around the country by anti-porn religious conservative activists.

Honey Play Box Signs Canadian Distro Deal With EP Products

Honey Play Box has signed a deal with Canadian distributor EP Products.

Willow Ryder, Angelina Diamanti Topline 'Lesbian Neighbor Affairs'

Willow Ryder and Angelina Diamanti headline "Lesbian Neighbor Affairs," from Girlfriends Films.

Cherie DeVille Discusses Doc Johnson Collabs in Vice TV's 'Sex Before the Internet'

2023 XBIZ Performer of the Year Cherie DeVille is featured on Vice TV’s “Sex Before the Internet,” discussing her Doc Johnson celebrity strokers in the episode “Sex Toy Empire.”

Show More