Paying someone to star in your own porn movie appears to be frowned upon by the Phoenix Police Department, especially when the "studio" is providing the "model" you'll be having sex with.
The cops raided "Self Serve Porn Studios" Thursday, alleging that the whole business is just a classic brothel and the "models" are really prostitutes.
According to court documents obtained by New Times, police have been investigating this joint since October, leading up to Thursday's arrest of owner William Hartwell, and several others.
Police caught up with a former employee in January, who said she made "professional pornographic videos" when she worked there.
She explained that the customer would have to sign a form saying he is having his fantasy recorded, then get a "penis check" from an employee -- apparently a way of trying to avoid cops -- before picking his model, taking a few photographs or a short video, and then getting to "fulfill his fantasy" with the model.
The studio was charging $120 for sex, and $200 for fetish stuff.
Police had a female source try to get a job with the studio in March, and Hartwell explained his scheme of selling copyrights to the video footage, saying it's a "great place to work."
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The cops eventually sent a male source in there, and he heard from the "model" that most people don't even record the session. Instead, they just turn the camera to the wall during the sex session.
Other former employees told police that Hartwell repeatedly told them what they were doing was legal, because it was pornography. According to the website for the business, that's what they told customers, too:
Most porn is Constitutionally Protected as Free Speech.
Some types of porn have been deemed obscene or illegal in Arizona.
The Self Serve Porn Studio will not allow the use of our studios for anything that could be considered obscene or illegal by the state.
By partnering with a model at the studio to create amateur Boy/Girl sex scenes you remain SAFE and LEGAL.
While at the studio you are paying for equipment and studio rental only and may not engage in any illegal or unsafe activities.
You may not offer money to anyone other than the receptionist for equipment and studio rental fees.
You do not have to appear in the movie or pictures but you do have to direct/produce the porn scene(s).
If you come to make amateur porn, you are welcome at the studio.
IF YOU COME FOR ANY OTHER REASON, YOU WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE!
Hatwell told one of the cops' sources that he was making about $4,000 a day running this business. Hartwell, co-owner Michelle Marchetti, and several prostitutes were arrested in yesterday's raid.
FYI, you can click here to check out all the "models" they were offering.
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Follow Matthew Hendley on Twitter at @MatthewHendley.
