LOS ANGELES — Two federal public defenders have been assigned to gay porn star Jarec Wentworth’s criminal case that alleges he committed felony extortion.
Wentworth, who has shot more than 70 gay porn scenes, was put under FBI surveillance and arrested after allegedly extorting $500,000 and an Audi R8 worth $180,000 from an unnamed victim.
He faces an arraignment hearing before a federal magistrate judge on Thursday at 1 p.m.
Wentworth, a Men.com exclusive who worked as a Sean Cody performer, allegedly threatened to expose details of the victim’s embarrassing “sexual liaisons” on Twitter.
But the victim, according to the federal complaint, went straight to the FBI, which followed an exchange of text messages between the two, later setting up a sting at a Los Angeles-area Starbucks.
When FBI agents arrested Wentworth, they found a loaded .357 Magnum revolver with additional ammunition.
Just prior to his arrest, Wentworth upped his demands to the victim by demanding $1 million in cash and a two-bedroom “bachelor pad” condo in Los Angeles.
Wentworth, denied bail earlier this month, remains in custody of U.S. Marshals. If convicted, he faces up to 15 years or longer in federal prison.
Wentworth’s latest scenes for Men.com were released today, with additional scenes coming Thursday, the date of his arraignment at federal court in downtown Los Angeles.
Deputy federal public defenders Ashfaq Chowdhury and Seema Ahmad have been assigned to represent Wentworth in the case.
