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'Girls Gone Wild' Founder Pleads No Contest

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Mar 12, 2008 2:26 pm US/Eastern

'Girls Gone Wild' Founder Pleads No Contest

PANAMA CITY (CBS4) ―

Click to enlarge 1 of 2: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for Verizon Wireless
Click to enlarge 2 of 2: CBS

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'Girls Gone Wild' Founder Claims Jailhouse Abuse
(11/24/2007)
Joe Francis To Be Transferred To Nevada
(5/16/2007)
FL Prosecutors Want Joe Francis Kept In Florida
(5/15/2007)
Judge: Girls Gone Wild Founder To Be Sent To NV.
(5/11/2007)
Girls Gone Wild Founder Sentenced For Contempt
(4/23/2007)
Girls Gone Wild Founder Sentenced For Contempt
(4/23/2007)
'Girls Gone Wild' Creator Back In Court
(4/23/2007)
'Girls Gone Wild' Founder Faces 10 Years In Prison
(4/12/2007)
Girls Gone Wild Founder Taken Into Custody
(4/10/2007)
'Girls Gone Wild' Creator Won't Surrender
(4/6/2007)

The founder of "Girls Gone Wild" has pleaded no contest to child abuse and prostitution charges in a Panama City courtroom.

Joe Francis entered the pleas Wednesday to the charges stemming from a five-year old case involving the filming of underage girls.

His lawyers contend the girls lied about their ages to an independent camera operator, and that none of the footage was used.

Judge Deede Costello eventually sentenced Francis to 339 days in jail, but gave him credit for the last year he has spent in jail in Bay County and in Reno, Nevada.

Francis has been jailed on both sides of the country for nearly a year.

He was jailed in Nevada on federal tax evasion charges. The government alleges Francis and his companies, Mantra Films Inc. and Sands Media Inc., claimed more than $20 million in phony deductions in 2002 and 2003 and that Francis used offshore accounts to conceal income.

Wednesday's ruling resolves the Florida criminal cases and allows Francis to remain out of jail on bond pending a federal tax evasion trial in Nevada.

That trial is set for August. If convicted, Francis could face up to 10 years in prison and $500,000 in fines.