Cache of Porno Featuring Teens Found in Home, FBI Agents Say

Sixteen FBI agents raided a two-story house on a remote stretch of Dixie Canyon Avenue in Sherman Oaks on Friday and confiscated what agents said were pornographic films and videocassettes featuring teen-age girls. No arrests were made.

The raid is the second against suspected pornographers made by FBI agents in the Los Angeles area this week and is part of a national investigation into the pornographic film industry and its use of young girls as models and actresses, said Fred Reagan, a spokesman for the Los Angeles office of the FBI.

Reagan said pornographic films, videocassettes, instruments of torture and mailing lists were among the items that agents found in the residence of Larry Ross. Authorities said Ross, whose wife and two small children were at home during the raid, used the house as the headquarters for Platinum Press. FBI agents said they believe Platinum is a distributor of pornographic materials involving minors.

Ross could not be reached for comment and his wife would not respond to questions at their home.

Reagan said agents also discovered records that indicate a tie between Platinum Press and Tao Productions, a Hollywood film production company that FBI agents raided Wednesday. During that raid, agents reported finding films depicting sadomasochistic acts and films featuring young women who appeared to be 15 to 17 years old.

It was records from the Tao Productions raid that led agents to the Sherman Oaks headquarters of Platinum Press, said John Hoos, another spokesman for the FBI office in Los Angeles.

Evidence seized from Tao Productions “indicates an ongoing pornographic business relationship between Tao Productions and Ross’ company, Platinum Press,” Hoos said.

In addition to the raid of Tao Productions, FBI agents last week in New York City raided Esoteric Press, a magazine distributor, in another search for pornographic materials involving minors. Larry Potts of the FBI’s Denver office, which is coordinating the national investigation of suspected pornography distributors, said the FBI is looking into whether there is a connection between the Los Angeles firms and the New York distributor.

Reagan said material seized during the 8 a.m. raid of Ross’ blue-and-white stucco house will be presented to the Los Angeles County Grand Jury. He added that arrests will be made only if the grand jury hands down indictments.

The recent raids were partially in response to the allegations of a Colorado Springs man who complained to authorities in October that his 17-year-old daughter had been featured in sadomasochistic, bondage and torture films and photographs.

An investigation into the father’s allegations led to the arrest of a Colorado Springs photographer. Denver FBI agents said the photographer’s records indicated that some of the films and photographs produced in his studio were shipped to Tao Productions and Esoteric Press.

The photographer awaits trial on federal and state charges of exploiting a minor.

“There will probably be more raids in the upcoming weeks,” said Potts. “New York and Los Angeles will continue to be the main targets.”