10-18-1999 Planning Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Mohney. in turn, has been linked with national organized crime enterprises. A1977 report of the United States Justice Department stated: It is believed that Harry V. Mohney of Durand, Michigan, is one of the largest dealers in pornography in the United States ... He is alleged to have a close association with the LCN. Colombo and the LCN DeCavalcante, both of which are very influential in pornography in the eastern United States. In Michigan, Mohney is known to hire individuals with organized crime associations to manage his businesses. His businesses and corporations consist of 60 known adult bookstores, massage parlors, art theaters, adult drive-in movies, go^o type lounges and pornographic warehouses in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Iowa. Ohio and California He is involved in the financing and produ^on of pornographic movies, magazines, books and newspapers. He also directs the importation and distribution erf his own and other pornographic publications to retail and wholesale outlets throughout the United States and Canada ... He has a working relationship with DeCavalcante ’s represents* Robert DiBerwdo" and has met vrith VHo Giacalone and Joseph Zerilli of the LCN Detroit He has to cater to both to operate in Michigan. U.S. Justice Dep ’t Organized Crime Involvement in Pornography, reprinted in the Attorn^ General ’s Comm’n on Pornography (hereinafter "Pornography Commission"), 2 Final Report at 1229-30 (1986). Organized crime has the potential to infiltrate Minnesota ’s pornography industry. Evidence on a national level highlights the vulnerabHity of sexually oriented businesses to criminal control. A number of sources have reported that there is a connection between organized crime and the pornography industry. The Pornography Commission reported that the Washington, D.C., Metropolilan Police Department "determined that traditional organized crime was substantially involved in and did essentially control much of the major pornography distribution hi the United States during the years 1977 and 1970." 2 Final Report at 1044-45. The Washington, D.C., study "further concluded that the combination of the large amounts of money involved, the incredibly low priority obscenity enforcement had within police departments and prosecutors ’ offices in an area where manpower intensive -16-