Florida- from www.miamiherald.com – The women were promised fame and fortune if they traveled to South Florida. After reading enticements on the Internet, one victim was told she would be the face of a new Bacardi drink. Another was told she would get a role in a Paramount film.
But it was all a scam, federal prosecutors say, and instead of riches, the women were drugged, sexually assaulted and filmed. The sex tapes were then sold over the Internet by Miami Vibes Enterprises, a Miramar company that produces pornography, prosecutors say.
On Wednesday, the U.S. attorney’s office in Miami announced a 22-count indictment naming Lavont Flanders, Jr., 40, [right] of Miami Gardens, and Emerson Callum, 45, of Miami, [left] as the men who carried out the scheme. They were charged with conspiracy, human trafficking and distribution of Xanax involving nine victims from May 2006 to February 2011.
The indictment was the culmination of a lengthy investigation that started with Flanders’ arrest in July 2007 by Miramar police. Callum was arrested in September 2007 by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
According to the indictment, as early as May 2006, Flanders — an ex-Miami Beach police officer who drove buses for the Miami-Dade Transit Agency when he was arrested — posed as a talent scout or business representative on sites such as ModelMayhem.com and Blackplanet.com. He would entice women to travel to South Florida for auditions, and offer them potentially lucrative acting or modeling contracts, the indictment says.
The men worked together at least nine times, with Flanders communicating with the women online and later meeting them in South Florida. Flanders is accused of giving the women spiked drinks as part of the audition. Callum is accused of having sex with the doped-up women, while Flanders filmed the assaults, the indictment states.
Afterward, Callum sold the videotaped sex as pornography, according to the charges.
The pair did not pay the women for the filming of the sessions.
The incidents happened at the Miami Vibes offices, 3590 S. State Road 7, in Miramar. The defendants made their first court appearance Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ted E. Bandstra. They could not be reached for comment Wednesday.
Florida- from www.dailymail.co.uk – A former police officer drugged aspiring models and actresses then filmed them being sexually assaulted for his pornography business it was alleged.
Lavont Flanders Jr, 40, is accused of luring women to his Florida base then plying them with spiked drinks before filming them being assaulted by his business partner Emerson Callum, 45.
One woman was told she would get a role in a Paramount film. Another was told she would become the face of a new Bacardi drink, prosecutors claim.
Former police officer Lavont Flanders Jr and business partner Emerson Callum are accused of drugging and sexually assaulting aspiring young models
The sex tapes were sold over the Internet through the Miami Vibes Enterprises, a Miramar company that produces pornography, it was alleged.
Flanders and Callum are charged with conspiracy, human trafficking and distribution of Xanax involving nine victims between May 2006 to February 2011.
Their indictments follow a lengthy investigation that began with Flanders’ arrest in July 2007 by Miramar police.
Callum was arrested two months later by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
The women were given drinks spiked with xanax before being attacked, it was alleged
According to the indictment, as early as May 2006, Flanders – an ex-Miami Beach police officer and bus driver – communicated with the women online posing as a talent scout on sites such as ModelMayhem.com and Blackplanet.com.
He is accused of giving the women drinks spiked with the date-rape drug Xanax while Callum is accused of having sex with them while in a doped state.
The men worked together at least nine times, with Flanders communicating with the women online and later meeting them in South Florida.
None of the women were paid for the filming of the sessions.
The men deny the charges.