MIAMI — At an arraignment and detention status hearing today, the operator of defunct adult website StraightBoyz entered not guilty pleas over five federal charges, including three counts of violating 18 U.S.C. § 2257, the record-keeping statute for adult producers.
Bryan Deneumostier, the operator of the site, allegedly offered videos of straight men being conned into accepting sex acts — all while blindfolded or wearing blacked-out goggles.
Deneumostier, also known by the screen name “susanleon33326,” cross dressed and pretended to be a woman offering anonymous sex and even reassured apprehensive men that there would be no cameras involved, according to an indictment against him that was unsealed just recently.
The men, mostly procured through Craigslist, allegedly thought they were going to a South Miami-Dade house for casual sex with a bored housewife, but many later found their trysts uploaded to the site.
According to the indictment, the men never consented to being taped and did not fill out appropriate 2257 paperwork.
Last week, Deneumostier was charged with two counts of prohibited interception and disclosure of oral communications on two dates May 6 and July 24, 2015, along with three counts of violating 2257, which mandates compliance with record-keeping rules.
The three 2257 violations stem from three individuals described as “victims” in the indictment. Those individuals were allegedly taped for “Hookup 407,” “Hookup 500” and “Hookup 589” — each posted to the StraightBoyz website.
According to the indictment, Deneumostier faces up to a maximum five years penalty of incarceration for each of the counts.
At today’s hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edwin Torres, the reading of the indictment against Deneumostier was waived and not guilty pleas were entered.
Deneumostier’s defense attorney, public defender Daniel Ecarius, also demanded a jury trial on behalf of his client, who continues to be held by authorities. A bond allowing his release, however, could be set at a future pretrial detention hearing.
Deneumostier’s StraightBoyz has been shut down for some time, but many of the clips allegedly shot are still circulating online. About 600 men were said to have taped encounters with the website owner.
Earlier this month, Deneumostier was arrested for having sex with a minor at a hotel near his home. Authorities said they found leather handcuffs, lubricant and a whip when they raided the room, with Deneumostier said to have admitted spending several days drinking, drugging and having sex with the minor.
