Prosecutor release

# Three Owners of Notorious Prostitution Website Backpage Sentenced

United States Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs, August 28, 2024. Sentences for Lacey, Spear and Brunst; Ferrer and Hyer pleas; Larkin death; agencies.

**Source type:** Prosecutor release

**Published:** August 28, 2024

**Research grade:** P1

**Used in entries:** 11

## Bibliographic record

**Publisher:** United States Department of Justice, Office of Public Affairs

**Published:** August 28, 2024

**Source type:** Prosecutor release

**Research grade:** Source grade P1

**Language:** English

**Official record:** Official publication

**Address:** [https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/three-owners-notorious-prostitution-website-backpagecom-sentenced](https://www.justice.gov/archives/opa/pr/three-owners-notorious-prostitution-website-backpagecom-sentenced)

**What it supports:** Sentences for Lacey, Spear and Brunst; Ferrer and Hyer pleas; Larkin death; agencies

**Dataset id:** src\_doj\_backpage\_sentencing\_2024

How this source is used

Cited 11 times across 3 record types.

The role on each citation records what the source was relied on for. A primary source establishes the fact, a supporting source corroborates it, technical evidence describes the infrastructure, and a later outcome records what happened afterwards.

Sources were reviewed to a research cutoff of August 21, 2026. Addresses recorded after that date are not reflected here.

## Cited by

### Takedown records

1 citation

Cited on the takedown record itself.

-
[Backpage.com seizure](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/backpage-com-seizure)

Trafficking and exploitation, April 2018

Primary source

### Organization roles

4 citations

Cited for an organization's recorded role in a takedown.

-
[Federal Bureau of Investigation](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/backpage-com-seizure)

Investigator, Backpage.com seizure

Primary source
-
[Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/backpage-com-seizure)

Investigator, Backpage.com seizure

Primary source
-
[United States Postal Inspection Service](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/backpage-com-seizure)

Investigator, Backpage.com seizure

Primary source
-
[United States Attorney's Office for the District of Arizona](https://takedownindex.org/takedowns/backpage-com-seizure)

Prosecutor, Backpage.com seizure

Primary source

### Legal actions against people

6 citations

Cited for a recorded legal action against a named person.

-
[Michael Lacey](https://takedownindex.org/people/michael-lacey)

Sentenced, Backpage.com seizure

Primary source
-
[Scott Spear](https://takedownindex.org/people/scott-spear)

Sentenced, Backpage.com seizure

Primary source
-
[John “Jed” Brunst](https://takedownindex.org/people/john-jed-brunst)

Sentenced, Backpage.com seizure

Primary source
-
[Carl Ferrer](https://takedownindex.org/people/carl-ferrer)

Pleaded guilty, Backpage.com seizure

Primary source
-
[Dan Hyer](https://takedownindex.org/people/dan-hyer)

Pleaded guilty, Backpage.com seizure

Primary source
-
[James Larkin](https://takedownindex.org/people/james-larkin)

Deceased, Backpage.com seizure

Primary source

[All sources](https://takedownindex.org/sources)