PANAMA CITY, Fla., April 13 (UPI) -- Jailed "Girls Gone Wild" founder Joe Francis faces new charges of bribery and having drugs in a Florida detention facility.
Francis, of Santa Monica, Calif., was in U.S. Magistrate court in Panama City, Fla., for a bond hearing related to an April 23 contempt of court hearing, the Panama City (Fla.) News Herald said Friday. Bay County prosecutors were present with a motion to revoke the bond and to notify the court that Francis was facing additional charges.
Francis now is charged with bribery of a public servant, possessing a controlled substance and introducing contraband into a detention facility, court records said.
Francis allegedly offered a jail guard money for bottled water, court records show. A subsequent search of Francis' cell turned up 16 prescription drugs, including sleep aids and anti-anxiety pills.
While Francis has drugs prescribed for anxiety, the drugs allegedly found in his cell were not prescribed by jail personnel.
Francis was indicted Wednesday in a federal court in Nevada for tax fraud. The contempt citation arose from the mediation of a 2003 lawsuit filed by seven girls who said they were victimized by Francis' film crew.
That lawsuit was settled Tuesday.
