Porn Site Founder Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking Charges in California

Michael James Pratt, the founder of the infamous GirlsDoPorn website, has pleaded guilty to federal sex trafficking charges in a San Diego court, marking a dramatic conclusion to an operation that authorities say exploited hundreds of young women. The 42-year-old New Zealand national now faces a possible life sentence when he appears for sentencing on September 25.

Pratt’s arrest ended a years-long international manhunt. After fleeing the United States in 2019 amid mounting criminal charges, he was placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted list. His capture came in Madrid in 2022, where authorities finally apprehended him and returned him to U.S. jurisdiction.

Federal investigators outlined a disturbing pattern of exploitation by Pratt and his co-defendants. Through force, fraud, and coercion, they recruited women—many still in their teens—with false promises of modeling opportunities. Instead, the recruits found themselves manipulated into appearing in adult films, often after being supplied with alcohol and marijuana, and pressured into signing contracts they were not permitted to read.

The production company’s tactics came to light in 2019, when 22 women filed a civil lawsuit alleging they had been deceived and victimized. Some described being held against their will in hotel rooms until filming concluded, while others reported sexual assault. The judge agreed with the survivors’ claims, ultimately awarding a $12.7 million judgment against Pratt and his associates.

Pratt’s co-defendants have since faced justice as well. Matthew Isaac Wolfe, responsible for the site’s operations and finances, pleaded guilty and is currently serving a 14-year federal sentence. Ruben Andre Garcia, who produced and performed in the videos, was sentenced to 20 years, while cameraman Theodore Gyi received a four-year prison term. Valorie Moser, who worked as a bookkeeper for the company, has also pleaded guilty and is scheduled for sentencing later this year.

The case has cast a spotlight on the dark underbelly of the adult entertainment industry and sparked calls for stricter oversight and protection for vulnerable individuals enticed by predatory recruitment tactics. As Pratt awaits his fate, the outcome of his case stands as a stark warning to would-be exploiters and a measure of justice for the women whose lives were irrevocably altered by his actions.