4 Arrested in Case of Minor in Adult Films

Four San Fernando Valley men were arrested Monday and a fifth was being sought on suspicion of pandering and using a minor in sexually explicit films and photographs, Los Angeles police said. The arrests stemmed from the solicitation of a 16-year-old girl to perform sex acts on film, Lt. Ken Seibert said.

Vice investigators seized evidence at six locations in the Valley and arrested Craig (Reb) Sawitz, 42, of North Hollywood, owner of Pretty Girl International Modeling Agency in Van Nuys; and independent photographers Johnny Castano, 59, and Charles Barnes, 42, both of Van Nuys, and John Benson Phillips, 48, of Woodland Hills, Seibert said.

Jerome Tenenbaum, 41, of Woodland Hills also is being sought in connection with the four-week investigation, police said.

The 16-year-old had responded to an advertisement placed by Sawitz last year, Seibert said. Detectives were informed of her involvement in the sex filming by the girl’s mother, the lieutenant said.

The four men arrested were released on $2,000 bail.