Backpage Exec Pleads Guilty In Prostitution Ads Case

[Goldie]

Backpage sales and marketing director Dan Hyer pled guilty on Friday to conspiring to facilitate prostitution, according to The Associated Press. Hyer becomes to the second Backpage employee to take a guilty plea in cases in Arizona amid accusations that the site ignored warnings to cease running prostitution ads, which have occasionally involved children. Hyer faces up to five years in prison and up to $250,000 in fines. However, prosecutors will dismiss the 50 facilitating prostitution charges, and 17 money laundering charges that he also faced.



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As part of his plea, Hyer acknowledges that Backpage was involved in a scheme that would offer free advertising opportunities to prostitutes in an effort to pull attention away from their competitors. He laid out the site’s strategy from about 10 to 11 years ago where they would copy ads from the adult section of Craigslist, repost them, and offer the client the ad space for free. The ads were deemed illegal because they included links that redirected people to another site where they could post reviews. Authorities allege that Backpage amassed revenue upwards of $500 million from items related to prostitution since 2004.

Backpage CEO Carl Ferrer pled guilty to state and federal charges of conspiracy and money laundering charges in April. As part of his plea deal, Ferrer would serve five years behind bars. His ruling came shortly after the site was shut down by the FBI.

 

[Soul_Rattler]

Ok, so are these priests going to get prosecuted too?

No because the same people enraged about consensual prostitution and want to lock up sex workers and solicitors are having their asses kissed every campaign season.

FOSTA really is bullshit but we live in Murrica where "you can live how you want to live, as long as you live like we say you should"

 

[SneakDZA]

Free that man!

 

[LUCIEN]

I'm completely on board with reducing the ways that children can become entangled in the sex work industry, but i don't think attacking outlets that help legitimate sex workers is the way to go. There has to be another way besides cutting off feet to save legs.

 

[deadeye]

I'm completely on board with reducing the ways that children can become entangled in the sex work industry, but i don't think attacking outlets that help legitimate sex workers is the way to go. There has to be another way besides cutting off feet to save legs.

That was part of the problem though.


It wasn't just an outlet for legitimate sex workers.


It was an outlet for women who were being trafficked as well.


Now, not all of them started off that way.


What happened was that a lot of the women who went on there voluntarily ended up being trafficked.


Basically, sex trafficking rings would scout sites like Backpage for women they could force to work for them.


I think Vice or some other site did a special on this a while back.

 

[Dwayne]

Easier to catch them in the open

Now they are back to shadows

 

[Shotta]

lmfao

the owner made 500 mil and he gets 5 years in jail. None of his assets of bank account confiscated? Drug dealers in the wrong business

 

[LUCIEN]

That was part of the problem though.


It wasn't just an outlet for legitimate sex workers.


It was an outlet for women who were being trafficked as well.


Now, not all of them started off that way.


What happened was that a lot of the women who went on there voluntarily ended up being trafficked.


Basically, sex trafficking rings would scout sites like Backpage for women they could force to work for them.


I think Vice or some other site did a special on this a while back.

But now it forces everyone underground, putting more people at risk. Idk if that is the best way to go. Policing backpage etc. would be better. It would have the additional benefit of creating jobs, since people would be needed to monitor and regulate.