The trials (and yes, actual court trials) and tribulations of Backpage.com co-founder Michael Lacey have been long and complicated. In August, Lacey was sentenced to 60 months in prison and saddled with a fined of $3 million by U.S. District Judge Diane Humetewa. Last week, the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit granted Lacey’s request to be released on a $1 million bail, pending the appeal of his conviction for money laundering.
The 9th Circuit’s stated: “Lacey has shown that his appeal raises a ‘substantial question’ of law or fact that is ‘fairly debatable’ and that, if determined favorably to him, is likely to result in reversal on the single count of conviction.”
Last April, Lacey and his two co-defendants were acquitted of the 63 out of 84 counts against them, over a jury deadlock. The numerous charges included sex trafficking and other sex worker related charges leveled at Backpage. At the time of Lacey’s conviction, his co-defendants, former Backpage executives Scott Spear and John Brunst, still did each receive 10-year sentences, with their requests for bail denied. Reports claim, unlike Lacey, Spear and Brunst have not raised what the court considers ‘substantial question’ of law. There have also been questions about whether or not these men, especially Lacey, is not being punished for his free speech advocacy or the fact that Backpage was giving a forum to sex workers.
The entire case here goes back to seven years with the US Justice Department claiming that Backpage.com was indeed facilitating prostitution, among other charges.
Presently Lacey has been convicted of only money laundering. He could still be retried though on the outstanding charges for which the jury could not come to a conclusion. Prosecutors on this case have said that they will most likely wait for the outcome of Lacey’s appeals to see how they may or may not proceed for retrial.
