County Seeks to Prosecute Adult-Film Producers : 2 Arrested, 3 Sought in Pandering Raids

Los Angeles County sheriff’s officers Wednesday raided a modeling agency in Sherman Oaks and homes in Thousand Oaks and Malibu in an effort to arrest the producers of a sex film for pandering.

Only two of the five men sought for their part in the production of “Backside to the Future” were arrested during simultaneous raids in California, Texas, Miami and Rochester, N.Y., according to sheriff’s officials.

The raids, following a four-month investigation, represented an expanded use of California’s 1982 pandering statute against people who make sex films. The law prohibits the payment of money to people to engage in sex acts, and police previously have used it to arrest producers, directors and others as actors and actresses were being recruited or performing.

In this case, however, the arrests were made well after the film’s distribution last year, Deputy Drew Basey said.

“It’s unique,” he said. “We’re working backward from the finished product.”

Allegedly Supplied Performers

The raid at the World Modeling Agency resulted in the arrest of James Souter, 47, of Thousand Oaks, who also was arrested in October by Los Angeles police on felony pandering charges. Souter’s agency, in the 4500 block of Van Nuys Boulevard, was described by investigators at the time as a clearinghouse for performers in pornographic films, allegedly supplying more than 600 of them to producers over the years.

Also arrested was Milton Ingley, 40, in Arlington, Tex. Authorities still are seeking John Lee, 43, of Malibu, and brothers Charles Zicari, 36, and Dominic Zicari, 47, both of Rochester.

Performers Not Sought

Authorities did not detail the alleged involvement of each man in last year’s production of “Backside to the Future,” but said it was filmed last year in Lee’s Malibu home. Performers in the film, which is sold for home video use, are not being sought, Basey said.

Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert F. Kuhnert said the raids were facilitated by an appellate court decision last month upholding the state’s right to prosecute film makers for pandering, a charge usually used against pimps.

In years past, film makers and publishers of pornographic magazines were charged under obscenity laws, but obscenity was difficult to prove.

“They simply can’t win on obscenity charges,” said John H. Weston, a Beverly Hills attorney who represents the Adult Film and Video Assn. of America. But arresting film makers for pandering is “outrageous,” he said.

100 Million Rentals in ’86

“By my figures,” Weston said, “there were over 100 million rentals of X-rated videotapes in 1986. The notion that law enforcement would unilaterally seek to interfere in this communicative activity is just outrageous.”

Weston represents Souter in the pandering case pending from his October arrest.

Officers said Wednesday’s arrests were made without incident, although they encountered a naked man at the modeling studio “applying for a job.” He was not arrested.