SexSearch Attorneys Ask Court to Dismiss Ohio Case

TOLEDO, Ohio — Attorneys defending SexSearch.com and its partnering companies on Friday asked a federal judge to dismiss claims that the social-networking site neglected its duty to filter out participation with minors.

In the latest court filing, SexSearch counsel said that the plaintiff is attempting to sidestep the full text of its Terms and Conditions, including the company’s warning for minors to stay off the site.

“Plaintiff cobbled his claims together by pulling sound bites out of context from those documents to support his protestations that he is not at fault for engaging in unlawful sex with a minor,” SexSearch attorneys said in the filing.

Filed in U.S. District Court in Toledo, Ohio, the suit alleges that SexSearch, as well as its executives and partners, committed fraud, violated Ohio consumer laws and markets children to adults for sexual purposes, among other accusations.

The case centers around an adult male who said he was tricked into believing that the minor was in fact over the age 18 because she posted information that stated such and that SexSearch represented to him that it verifies the age of all members who use their site.

More than a month after having consensual intercourse with the minor at her home, the man was arrested and charged with a variety of charges of unlawful conduct with a minor. The man, whose age has not been revealed, could face up to 15 years in prison, but his criminal trial has not yet commenced.

The 14-year-old minor, whose profile was active on SexSearch until it was removed by her parents, included her photo on the site, as well as listings that said she was looking for a “1 on 1 sexual encounter” and that her ideal match included her interest in a male “who can last for a long time.” Friday’s filing emphasized that the plaintiff’s opposition to arguments of SexSearch’s age-verification system is “so devoid of analysis that it is a tacit admission that dismissal is warranted.”

“No matter what, plaintiff cannot overcome the causation hurdle: his decision to have sex with Jane Roe was the supervening and intervening cause of his damages and not any act by the SexSearch.com site,” the filing said.

The suit’s long list of defendants include some well-known adult industry brand names in addition to SexSearch, including Moniker Online Services, Manic Media and Stallion.com. Also listed as defendants are SexSearch executives Ed Kunkel, Damian Cross and Adam Small, as well as SexSearch hosting company ExperiencedInternet.com.

Claims against Playboy, Jenna Jameson and Club Jenna — once named as defendants in the suit — have been dismissed.

SexSearch attorneys in Friday’s filing said that the case has already gone on long enough and are asking the court to drop it.

“Plaintiff has had his due process, and his meritless case should be dismissed now to ensure that Congress’ and the Ohio Legislature’s goals are met to immunize publishers from tort claims based on published content,” SexSearch attorneys said. “The complaint fails to state a claim and should be dismissed with prejudice and without leave to amend.”

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Adult Industry Educational, Networking Platform 'Imperfectly You' Launches

Imperfectly You, an educational and networking platform for adult industry workers, has officially launched.

Segpay to Launch News Network for High-Risk Merchants

Segpay has announced that it will launch the Segpay News Network (SNN) on April 15.

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Pineapple Support to Host Autism Spectrum Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who are, or suspect they may be, on the autism spectrum.

ImLive Launches Revamped Member Loyalty Program

Cam platform ImLive has revamped its member loyalty program.

GoFundMe Set Up for Danny Ferretti's Medical Expenses

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Fangear founder Danny Ferretti, who requires extensive lung surgery.

Byborg Acquires Cuties AI

Byborg Enterprises has acquired adult artificial intelligence startup Cuties AI.

Irish Government Releases Report on Sex Work Decriminalization Legislation

The Irish government has released a report reviewing a 2017 law that decriminalized sex work across the country.

Texas Bill Would Require Age Verification for Online Sex Toy Sales

A new bill in the Texas state legislature would require online retailers to implement age verification of purchasers before selling “obscene devices” to anyone in that state.

New York Assemblyman Proposes Banning the Term 'Sex Work'

Republican New York Assembly Member Brian Maher has introduced a bill to prohibit the use of the term "sex work" in government documents.

Show More