Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 1 of 7
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`KESSLER LAW GROUP
`Eric W. Kessler, SBN 009158
`6720 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 210
`Scottsdale, Arizona 85253
`(480) 644-0093 phone
`(480) 644-0095 fax
`Eric.KesslerLaw@gmail.com
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`FEDER LAW OFFICE PA
`Bruce S. Feder, SBN 004832
`2930 E. Camelback Rod., Ste. 160
`Phoenix, Arizona 85016
`(602) 257-0135 phone
`bf@federlawpa.com
`Knapp Counsel
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`Attorneys for Defendant Scott Spear
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`[Additional counsel listed on next two pages]
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`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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`DISTRICT OF ARIZONA
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`United States of America,
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` Plaintiff,
`v.
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`Michael Lacey, et al.,
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`July 27, 2023
`Date:
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`1:00 p.m.
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`) Time:
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`Courtroom: 506
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`)
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`Defendants. )
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`No. 2:18-cr-00422-03-PHX-DJH
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`MOTION IN LIMINE TO PRECLUDE
`TESTIMONY, STATEMENTS, OR
`ARGUMENTS THAT ESCORT
`
`SERVICES, DATING ADS, MASSAGE
`SERVICES AND ADULT
`ADVERTISING ARE UNLAWFUL OR
`PRESUMED TO INVOLVE
`PROSTITUTION
`
`
`
`Assigned to Hon. Diane J. Humetewa
`
`Trial Date: August 8, 2023
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`1 | P a g e
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`KESSLER LAW GROUP
`Eric W. Kessler, SBN 009158
`6720 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 210
`Scottsdale, Arizona 85253
`(480) 644-0093 phone
`(480) 644-0095 fax
`Eric.KesslerLaw@gmail.com
`
`FEDER LAW OFFICE PA
`Bruce S. Feder, SBN 004832
`2930 E. Camelback Rod., Ste. 160
`Phoenix, Arizona 85016
`(602) 257-0135 phone
`bf@federlawpa.com
`Knapp Counsel
`
`Attorneys for Defendant Scott Spear
`
`[Additional counsel listed on next two pages]
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`
`UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
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`DISTRICT OF ARIZONA
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`United States of America,
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` Plaintiff,
`v.
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`Michael Lacey, et al.,
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`July 27, 2023
`Date:
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`1:00 p.m.
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`) Time:
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`Courtroom: 506
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`Defendants. )
`
`No. 2:18-cr-00422-03-PHX-DJH
`
`MOTION IN LIMINE TO PRECLUDE
`TESTIMONY, STATEMENTS, OR
`ARGUMENTS THAT ESCORT
`
`SERVICES, DATING ADS, MASSAGE
`SERVICES AND ADULT
`ADVERTISING ARE UNLAWFUL OR
`PRESUMED TO INVOLVE
`PROSTITUTION
`
`
`
`Assigned to Hon. Diane J. Humetewa
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`Trial Date: August 8, 2023
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`1 | P a g e
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`Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 2 of 7
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`Paul J. Cambria, Jr. (admitted pro hac vice)
`pcambria@lglaw.com
`Erin McCampbell Paris (admitted pro hac vice)
`eparis@lglaw.com
`LIPSITZ GREEN SCIME CAMBRIA LLP
`42 Delaware Avenue, Suite 120
`Buffalo, New York 14202
`Telephone: (716) 849-1333
`Facsimile: (716) 855-1580
`Attorneys for Defendant Michael Lacey
`
`David Eisenberg (AZ Bar No. 017218)
`david@deisenbergplc.com
`DAVID EISENBERG PLC
`3550 N. Central Ave., Suite 1155
`Phoenix, Arizona 85012
`Telephone: (602) 237-5076
`Facsimile: (602) 314-6273
`Attorney for Defendant Andrew Padilla
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`Joy Malby Bertrand (AZ Bar No. 024181)
`joy.bertrand@gmail.com
`JOY BERTRAND ESQ LLC
`PO Box 2734
`Scottsdale, Arizona 85252
`Telephone: (602) 374-5321
`Facsimile: (480) 361-4694
`Attorney for Defendant Joye Vaught
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`2 | P a g e
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`Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 3 of 7
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`Timothy J. Eckstein
`teckstein@omlaw.com
`Joseph Roth
`jroth@omlaw.com
`Sarah P. Lawson
`slawson@omlaw.com
`OSBORN MALEDON, P.A.
`2929 North Central Avenue, 20th Floor
`Phoenix, AZ 85012-2793
`Telephone: (602) 640-9000
`Facsimile: (602) 640-9050
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`Attorneys for Defendant James Larkin
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`Gary S. Lincenberg (admitted pro hac vice)
`glincenberg@birdmarella.com
`Ariel A. Neuman (admitted pro hac vice)
`aneuman@birdmarella.com
`Gopi K. Panchapakesan (admitted pro hac vice)
`gkp@birdmarella.com
`BIRD, MARELLA, BOXER, WOLPERT, NESSIM,
`DROOKS, LINCENBERG & RHOW, P.C.
`1875 Century Park East, 23rd Floor
`Los Angeles, California 90067-2561
`Telephone: (310) 201-2100
`Facsimile: (310) 201-2110
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`Attorneys for Defendant John Brunst
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`3 | P a g e
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`Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 4 of 7
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`Defendant Scott Spear, through counsel, moves this Court in limine to preclude the
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`Government from eliciting testimony, making statements, or arguing that certain lawful
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`activities are unlawful or presumed to involve prostitution.
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`Proposed Order:
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`The Government is precluded from eliciting testimony, making statements, or
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`arguing that the following lawful activities are unlawful or presumed to involve prostitution
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`or are not protected by the First Amendment:
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`a) Licensed escort services;
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`b) Dating advertising that complies with Arizona law regarding the same;
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`c) Licensed massage services; and
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`d) Adult advertising, including escort, massage and dating advertisements that are
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`facially lawful are not protected by the First Amendment.
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`Escort Services:
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`Escort services in Arizona are legal and defined in A.R.S. §13-1422 as follows:
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`“Escort means a person who for consideration agrees or offers to act as a companion, guide
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`or date for another person or who agrees or offers to privately model lingerie or to privately
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`perform a striptease for another person.” The licensing of escorts is left to each city. Escort
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`agencies and advertising are regulated by A.R.S. §9-500.10.
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`Massage Services:
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`Massage services, and the advertising thereof, are also expressly legal in Arizona
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`and are regulated by Title 32, Chapter 42 of the Arizona Revised Statutes.
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`4 | P a g e
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`Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 5 of 7
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`Online Dating Services:
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`Online dating services are likewise expressly legal in Arizona and are governed by
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`A.R.S. §44-7151, et seq. This includes advertising by dating services.
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`There are no statutory or other legal authorities that give rise to any presumptions
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`of prostitution regarding escorts, online dating sites and massage services.
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`Ev. Rule 401 and 403:
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`Since each of the above services are legal in Arizona, any testimony or suggestion
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`by the Government that any of these services are really just fronts for prostitution, or that
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`the jury should presume as such, is legally and factually incorrect, thereby negating any
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`probative value and relevance under Ev. Rule 401. Even if the Court went beyond Rule 401
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`and applied a 403 analysis, the result would be the same. Because the activities are legal,
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`any assertion to the contrary would be incorrect and lack any probative value. Further, the
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`resulting prejudice to these Defendants would be unfair because the activities are in fact
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`legal.
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`Finally, the First Amendment protects truthful commercial speech (advertisements)
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`about a lawful product, no matter how tasteless and excessive it sometimes may seem to
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`some people. 44 Liquormart, Inc. v. Rhode Island, 517 U.S. 484, 116 S. Ct. 1495, 134 L.
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`Ed. 2d 711 (1996).
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`Undersigned counsel attempted to discuss the Government’s position on this Motion
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`both by telephone and email, but the Government has not yet responded.
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`5 | P a g e
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`Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 6 of 7
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`RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED this June 8, 2023.
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` /s/ Eric W. Kessler
`Eric W. Kessler, Esq.
`Bruce Feder, Esq.
`Attorneys for Defendant Spear
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`Timothy J. Eckstein
`Joseph Roth
`Sarah P. Lawson
`Osborn Maledon, P.A.
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` /s/ Timothy J. Eckstein
`Timothy J. Eckstein
`Attorneys for Defendant James Larkin
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`Gary S. Lincenberg
`Ariel A. Neuman
`Gopi K. Panchapakesan
`Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim,
`Drooks, Lincenberg & Rhow, P.C.
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` /s/ Gary S. Lincenberg
`Gary S. Lincenberg
`Attorneys for Defendant John Brunst
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`Paul J. Cambria
`Erin McCampbell Paris
`Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP
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` /s/ Paul J. Cambria
`Paul J. Cambria
`Attorneys for Defendant Michael Lacey
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`DATED: June 8, 2023
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`DATED: June 8, 2023
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`DATED: June 8, 2023
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`6 | P a g e
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`Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 7 of 7
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`DATED: June 8, 2023
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`DATED: June 8, 2023
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`The Law Office of David Eisenberg,
`PLC
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` /s/ David Eisenberg
`David Eisenberg
`Attorney for Defendant Andrew Padilla
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`Joy Bertrand Esq., LLC
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` /s/ Joy Malby Bertrand
`Joy Malby Bertrand
`Attorney for Defendant Joye Vaught
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`CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
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`I hereby certify that on June 8, 2023, I electronically transmitted the attached
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`14
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`document to the Clerk’s Office using the CM/ECF system for filing and transmittal of a
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`Notice of Electronic Filing to the CM/ECF registrants who have entered their appearance
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`as counsel of record.
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` s/ Eric W. Kessler
`Eric W. Kessler, Esq.
`Attorney for Defendant Spear
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`7 | P a g e
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