Michael James Pratt, the former operator behind the adult film website GirlsDoPorn, has filed a federal lawsuit claiming U.S. Marshals are putting his safety at risk as he awaits long-term placement in the federal prison system.
According to CBS 8 in San Diego, Pratt, who was sentenced in September to 27 years in federal prison for sex trafficking, submitted the suit earlier this month, arguing that authorities have failed to house him in an environment designed to protect inmates convicted of sex-related offenses.
According to court filings, Pratt claims the Marshals Service is ignoring established safety protocols by sending him to a facility he says is dangerous for people with similar convictions.
At the center of the complaint is Pratt’s pending transfer to the Federal Correctional Institution in Victorville, California. In handwritten filings, Pratt describes Victorville as a prison known for frequent inmate violence, particularly against those convicted of sex crimes. He alleges the decision exposes him to a serious risk of assault.
“Victorville has a high incidence rate of inmate assaults and is not considered to be safe for inmates with ‘bad charges,’” Pratt wrote, using the prison term often applied to convictions involving sexual offenses. He added that placing him there “endangers his health and safety.”
Pratt’s lawsuit includes statements from other incarcerated people who back up his claims. One inmate referred to the facility as “Victimville,” while another said they personally witnessed repeated assaults against inmates convicted of sex trafficking and related crimes.
The legal maneuver comes after a highly emotional sentencing hearing in San Diego, where dozens of victims confronted Pratt in court. In September, The Guardian reported that many of Pratt's victims detailed how they were recruited under false pretenses between 2012 and 2019 through what appeared to be legitimate modeling ads, only to arrive in San Diego and discover they were expected to perform in adult films.
Federal prosecutors said Pratt used shell companies and fake talent agencies to lure young women—some as young as 17—into crossing state lines. Victims described being rushed through dense contracts, misled about distribution, and pressured into scenes they did not agree to perform. Several testified they were intoxicated, intimidated, or physically blocked from leaving hotel rooms during filming.
Despite assurances that the footage would never appear online, videos were later uploaded to major adult platforms, where some amassed millions of views. Prosecutors also said Pratt ordered staff to contact victims’ family members, schools, and churches in an attempt to drive traffic to the content.
After civil lawsuits were filed in 2019, Pratt fled the United States and remained overseas for three years before being arrested in Madrid in 2022. He was previously listed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list.
Ultimately, Pratt and his co-defendants were convicted for their roles in a years-long sex-trafficking conspiracy tied to the GirlsDoPorn operation.
Pratt pleaded guilty to one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and one count of conspiracy and was sentenced to 27 years in federal prison.
His top lieutenant, Matthew Isaac Wolfe, pleaded guilty to conspiracy and received a 14-year sentence. Performer Ruben Andre Garcia, who appeared in many of the videos and was accused by victims of extreme brutality during filming, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Other co-conspirators, including members of the production crew, also pleaded guilty and received additional federal prison terms.
The U.S. Bureau of Prisons has not publicly responded to Pratt’s lawsuit. As of now, records indicate he remains in federal custody in the Western Region while awaiting transfer.
If you or someone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, confidential support is available. You can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888, text 233733, or visit humantraffickinghotline.org for resources and assistance.