Francis Pleads Not Guilty to Sexual Battery
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WENN.com
|
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
HOLLYWOOD - Girls Gone Wild creator Joe Francis has pleaded not guilty to a sexual battery charge relating to a January incident when he allegedly fondled an 18-year-old against her wishes.
Francis stands accused of touching the woman's breast, buttocks and inner thigh at least 10 times, despite being asked repeatedly to stop.
His plea was read out in Los Angeles County Court yesterday by his lawyer.
If found guilty, Francis faces six months in jail and a $2,000 fine.
He is next due in court on June 26.
According to Web site TMZ.com, Francis is currently in Oklahoma in the custody of U.S. Marshals, who are transporting him to Reno, Nevada, for an arraignment on federal tax evasion charges.
Francis faces up to 10 years in jail and fines of up to $500,000 if he is found guilty of those two counts of falsifying tax returns, in which he is alleged to have deliberately understated his income by $1 million from 2002 to 2003.
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