Joe Francis to Remain in Reno Jail

RENO, Nev. — After a Tuesday release, Girls Gone Wild founder Joe Francis has chosen to remain in jail, his lawyer said, in order to avoid another jail sentence — without bail — for new charges in Florida, where he previously served time for contempt of court.

Francis was relocated to the Nevada jail last month after a federal judge ruled that his $20 million tax-fraud charges took precedence over those he had been held for at the time in Florida. In April, Francis turned himself in to Panama City, Fla., officials to serve his 35-day sentence.

Francis' defense lawyer, David Houston, told the Associated Press that Francis' attorneys decided the adult producer should stay in Reno after learning of new decisions made by the Florida judge.

Florida Circuit Judge Dedee Costello refused bail to Francis Tuesday on his 2003 charge of using minors in his videos, and has ordered Francis also be charged with possession of a controlled substance, as well as possession of contraband. In April, Francis was discovered carrying prescription sleeping pills while serving his Florida sentence at Bay County Jail.

Houston said he called off Francis' bail post of $1.5 million, which had been posted Tuesday.

"If I post [bail], Francis goes to Florida, and it took us a month to get him here," Houston said. "There's no reason for me to want to send him back to that environment. We had hoped he'd be out today."

Kevin Mercuri, a press representative for Francis, told XBIZ that Francis has not yet made an official statement regarding his decision to stay in Reno.

Related:  

Copyright © 2026 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

Akira Rabbit, Jasmine Lotus Lead Latest From TGirls.Porn

Akira Rabbit and Jasmine Lotus star in the latest release from Grooby paysite TGirls.Porn, titled "Solid Platinum Girls."

Lucy Mochi Makes Her TeamSkeet Debut As August's 'AllStar'

Lucy Mochi has made her debut for TeamSkeet alongside multi-XMAs winner Ryan Driller.

Asteria Jade Makes Her Brazzers Debut

Asteria Jade has made her Brazzers debut alongside Addison Vodka and Scott Nails in “Just Rivals.”

Emma Rose Stars in Latest From TransAngels

Multi-XMAs winner Emma Rose stars with Jayden Marcos in the latest release from TransAngels, titled "Hungry for More."

Harry Sparks Releases 'The Girls of Cosplay: The Extended Edition'

Harry Sparks has released an extended edition of his Sparks Entertainment title “The Girls of Cosplay.”

Aleksa Mink Stars in Latest From Reality Kings

Aleksa Mink stars with Kaby Snow in the latest release from Reality Kings, titled "Pitch My Tent."

FSC Hails Members, Allies in SCREEN Act Victory

The Free Speech Coalition (FSC) released a statement today praising its members and allies after a successful lobbying effort to prevent the SCREEN Act, a nationwide age verification bill, from advancing out of the Commerce Committee for a full vote on the Senate floor.

Harlie Hotwife Makes Her TeamSkeet Debut Alongside Maria May

Harlie Hotwife has made her TeamSkeet debut alongside Maria May, Mike Ox, and AustanT in the latest installment of "Mom Swap," from studio imprint Swappz.

Mia Macana Makes Her Adult Time Debut

Mia Macana has made her Adult Time debut alongside Cami Strella in the latest scene from studio imprint Transfixed, titled “Tonight's Not A Total Bust...”

SCREEN Act Stalls in Senate Committee Over Technicality

The Senate Commerce Committee on Wednesday voted to approve the SCREEN Act, which would mandate nationwide site-based age verification of users seeking to access adult content online, but a procedural issue blocked the bill from advancing to the full Senate.

Show More