LOS ANGELES — LA Direct Models’ Derek Hay pleaded guilty Tuesday in Los Angeles to one charge of conspiracy to commit pandering and a charge of perjury, as part of a plea agreement with the California attorney general in a criminal case.
As XBIZ reported, a grand jury indicted Hay alongside two co-defendants in September 2022. The former agent was arraigned in March 2023.
Hay’s attorney, Richard Freeman, told XBIZ, “As we began jury selection process, the judge got more actually involved in seeking a resolution for the case. And with her intervention, it was possible to resolve the case in a way that had not been possible before. The case has now been resolved as to all defendants, guilty pleas have been entered on behalf of all the defendants, and sentencing is set for July 17.”
During Tuesday’s hearing, the judge revealed the parameters she will use in determining a sentence, indicating that the former LA Direct principal could get up to 270 days in county jail.
In the meantime, Hay will be released on probation.
Charges Stemmed From 'Jane Does' Case
The co-defendants were accused by the state of California of conspiracy to commit pandering by procuring in violation of Penal Code 266i (a), a felony, and conspiracy to commit pimping in violation of Penal Code 266h (a). Hay was also accused of perjury concerning his testimony under oath.
Hay first faced criminal pandering charges in California in March 2020, stemming from accusations made during a “Jane Does” labor case that involved five models, former clients who petitioned against him and his agency before the California Labor Commission.
The 2020 felony charges and the September 2022 grand jury indictment are connected to their original 2018 civil filings and the testimony given by the five Jane Doe models during the Labor Board hearings in the fall and winter of 2019. The performers later self-identified as Charlotte Cross, Shay Evans, Sofi Ryan, Andi Rye and Hadley Viscara.
Both Viscara and Ryan accused Hay of sexual assault during the Labor Board hearings. Hay and his attorney have disputed the veracity of their accounts.
Although most of the charges in the indictment concern the other two co-defendants, Hay is accused of sending a message to one of the co-defendants asking them to “cease all bookings” of someone only identified as Individual 1, of introducing Jane Doe 2 to the co-defendants during a dinner, of sending text messages to Jane Doe 4 concerning introducing her to one of the co-defendants, of text messaging Jane Doe 4 about sending her photos to one of the co-defendants, and of communicating with Jane Doe 4 concerning “a private job.”
Among the accusations against the other co-defendants, those involving Hay include: inducing Jane Doe 1 to be represented by Hay, telling Jane Doe 1 that they “intended to pay a referral fee for Jane Doe 3” to Hay, contacting Jane Doe 1 to discuss a letter sent by attorney Allan Gelbard to Hay, and communicating with Hay regarding someone identified as Individual 4.
The charge of perjury against Hay was added to the indictment after December 2022. Hay has pleaded guilty of lying under oath when questioned about whether he had discussed “the escorting business” with his co-defendants, if he had provided LA Direct images to them, and whether he had talked to Jane Doe 4 about her work with a company allegedly run by the co-defendants.
