• Michael Pratt, leader of GirlsDoPorn, pleads guilty to sex trafficking charges.
• Pratt used deception and coercion to recruit hundreds of young women.
• The GirlsDoPorn website generated over $17 million from 2012 to 2019.
• Pratt faces a potential life sentence; sentencing is scheduled for September.
• Four co-defendants received prison sentences for their involvement.

Michael Pratt, the mastermind behind the GirlsDoPorn sex trafficking ring, has pleaded guilty to multiple counts of sex trafficking in San Diego after three years of evading authorities. Once listed on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitive list, Pratt conspired with co-defendants from 2012 to 2019 to recruit hundreds of young women, many in their late teens, under the false pretense of modeling opportunities, according to the U.S. Department of Justice and latimes.

Victims reported being coerced into filming adult videos, with Pratt and his associates misleading them into believing the videos would not be published online. If any model attempted to withdraw, Pratt threatened legal action, canceled flights home, or promised to release the videos publicly. From these exploitative activities, Pratt earned over $17 million, as highlighted by prosecutors from both cbsnews and sfgate.

In court, many women testified about the devastating effects of Pratt's actions, detailing job losses, evictions, and damage to personal relationships, leading some to attempt suicide. Pratt, who admitted to orchestrating GirlsDoPorn and directly involved in trafficking, is set to be sentenced in September. He may face a life sentence, corroborated by latimes and sfgate.

Pratt was initially indicted in October 2019, but before he could be prosecuted, he fled and remained an international fugitive until his arrest in Spain in December 2022. Federal prosecutors noted that Pratt liquidated his assets before fleeing, highlighting the extensive criminal network facilitated through the GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys websites, according to cbsnews and latimes.

Other involved parties have also faced substantial prison time, with co-defendants Ruben Andre Garcia, Matthew Wolfe, and Theodore Gyi already serving sentences of 20, 14, and 4 years respectively. Additionally, Valorie Moser, the former bookkeeper, has pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing, confirming the ongoing repercussions of this extensive trafficking operation, as reported by cbsnews and sfgate.