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KESSLER LAW GROUP

Eric W. Kessler, SBN 009158

6720 N. Scottsdale Rd., Ste. 210

Scottsdale, Arizona 85253

(480) 644-0093 phone

(480) 644-0095 fax

Eric.KesslerLaw@gmail.com

FEDER LAW OFFICE PA

Bruce S. Feder, SBN 004832

2930 E. Camelback Rod., Ste. 160

Phoenix, Arizona 85016

(602) 257-0135 phone

bf@federlawpa.com

Knapp Counsel

Attorneys for Defendant Scott Spear

[Additional counsel listed on next two pages]

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

DISTRICT OF ARIZONA

United States of America, ) No. 2:18-cr-00422-03-PHX-DJH

)

 Plaintiff, ) MOTION IN LIMINE TO PRECLUDE

v. ) TESTIMONY, STATEMENTS, OR 

) ARGUMENTS THAT ESCORT 

) SERVICES, DATING ADS, MASSAGE

) SERVICES AND ADULT 

) ADVERTISING ARE UNLAWFUL OR 

) PRESUMED TO INVOLVE

) PROSTITUTION

Michael Lacey, et al., )

) Date: July 27, 2023

) Time: 1:00 p.m.

) Courtroom: 506

)

) Assigned to Hon. Diane J. Humetewa

)

Defendants. ) Trial Date: August 8, 2023

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 1 of 7
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Paul J. Cambria, Jr. (admitted pro hac vice)

pcambria@lglaw.com

Erin McCampbell Paris (admitted pro hac vice)

eparis@lglaw.com

LIPSITZ GREEN SCIME CAMBRIA LLP

42 Delaware Avenue, Suite 120

Buffalo, New York 14202

Telephone: (716) 849-1333

Facsimile: (716) 855-1580

Attorneys for Defendant Michael Lacey

David Eisenberg (AZ Bar No. 017218)

david@deisenbergplc.com

DAVID EISENBERG PLC

3550 N. Central Ave., Suite 1155

Phoenix, Arizona 85012

Telephone: (602) 237-5076

Facsimile: (602) 314-6273

Attorney for Defendant Andrew Padilla

Joy Malby Bertrand (AZ Bar No. 024181)

joy.bertrand@gmail.com

JOY BERTRAND ESQ LLC

PO Box 2734

Scottsdale, Arizona 85252

Telephone: (602) 374-5321

Facsimile: (480) 361-4694

Attorney for Defendant Joye Vaught

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 2 of 7
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Timothy J. Eckstein

teckstein@omlaw.com

Joseph Roth

jroth@omlaw.com

Sarah P. Lawson

slawson@omlaw.com

OSBORN MALEDON, P.A.

2929 North Central Avenue, 20th Floor

Phoenix, AZ 85012-2793

Telephone: (602) 640-9000

Facsimile: (602) 640-9050

Attorneys for Defendant James Larkin

Gary S. Lincenberg (admitted pro hac vice)

glincenberg@birdmarella.com

Ariel A. Neuman (admitted pro hac vice)

aneuman@birdmarella.com

Gopi K. Panchapakesan (admitted pro hac vice)

gkp@birdmarella.com

BIRD, MARELLA, BOXER, WOLPERT, NESSIM,

DROOKS, LINCENBERG & RHOW, P.C.

1875 Century Park East, 23rd Floor

Los Angeles, California 90067-2561

Telephone: (310) 201-2100

Facsimile: (310) 201-2110

Attorneys for Defendant John Brunst

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 3 of 7
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Defendant Scott Spear, through counsel, moves this Court in limine to preclude the 

Government from eliciting testimony, making statements, or arguing that certain lawful 

activities are unlawful or presumed to involve prostitution.

Proposed Order:

The Government is precluded from eliciting testimony, making statements, or 

arguing that the following lawful activities are unlawful or presumed to involve prostitution

or are not protected by the First Amendment:

a) Licensed escort services;

b) Dating advertising that complies with Arizona law regarding the same;

c) Licensed massage services; and

d) Adult advertising, including escort, massage and dating advertisements that are 

facially lawful are not protected by the First Amendment.

Escort Services:

Escort services in Arizona are legal and defined in A.R.S. §13-1422 as follows: 

“Escort means a person who for consideration agrees or offers to act as a companion, guide 

or date for another person or who agrees or offers to privately model lingerie or to privately 

perform a striptease for another person.” The licensing of escorts is left to each city. Escort 

agencies and advertising are regulated by A.R.S. §9-500.10.

Massage Services:

Massage services, and the advertising thereof, are also expressly legal in Arizona 

and are regulated by Title 32, Chapter 42 of the Arizona Revised Statutes. 

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 4 of 7
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Online Dating Services:

Online dating services are likewise expressly legal in Arizona and are governed by 

A.R.S. §44-7151, et seq. This includes advertising by dating services.

There are no statutory or other legal authorities that give rise to any presumptions 

of prostitution regarding escorts, online dating sites and massage services.

Ev. Rule 401 and 403:

Since each of the above services are legal in Arizona, any testimony or suggestion 

by the Government that any of these services are really just fronts for prostitution, or that 

the jury should presume as such, is legally and factually incorrect, thereby negating any 

probative value and relevance under Ev. Rule 401. Even if the Court went beyond Rule 401 

and applied a 403 analysis, the result would be the same. Because the activities are legal, 

any assertion to the contrary would be incorrect and lack any probative value. Further, the 

resulting prejudice to these Defendants would be unfair because the activities are in fact 

legal. 

Finally, the First Amendment protects truthful commercial speech (advertisements) 

about a lawful product, no matter how tasteless and excessive it sometimes may seem to 

some people. 44 Liquormart, Inc. v. Rhode Island, 517 U.S. 484, 116 S. Ct. 1495, 134 L. 

Ed. 2d 711 (1996). 

Undersigned counsel attempted to discuss the Government’s position on this Motion 

both by telephone and email, but the Government has not yet responded. 

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 5 of 7
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RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED this June 8, 2023.

 /s/ Eric W. Kessler 

Eric W. Kessler, Esq.

Bruce Feder, Esq.

Attorneys for Defendant Spear

DATED: June 8, 2023

Timothy J. Eckstein

Joseph Roth

Sarah P. Lawson

Osborn Maledon, P.A.

 /s/ Timothy J. Eckstein 

Timothy J. Eckstein

Attorneys for Defendant James Larkin

DATED: June 8, 2023

Gary S. Lincenberg

Ariel A. Neuman

Gopi K. Panchapakesan

Bird, Marella, Boxer, Wolpert, Nessim, 

Drooks, Lincenberg & Rhow, P.C.

 /s/ Gary S. Lincenberg 

Gary S. Lincenberg

Attorneys for Defendant John Brunst

DATED: June 8, 2023

Paul J. Cambria

Erin McCampbell Paris

Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria LLP

 /s/ Paul J. Cambria 

Paul J. Cambria

Attorneys for Defendant Michael Lacey

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 6 of 7
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DATED: June 8, 2023

The Law Office of David Eisenberg, 

PLC

 /s/ David Eisenberg 

David Eisenberg

Attorney for Defendant Andrew Padilla

DATED: June 8, 2023

Joy Bertrand Esq., LLC

 /s/ Joy Malby Bertrand 

Joy Malby Bertrand

Attorney for Defendant Joye Vaught

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I hereby certify that on June 8, 2023, I electronically transmitted the attached 

document to the Clerk’s Office using the CM/ECF system for filing and transmittal of a 

Notice of Electronic Filing to the CM/ECF registrants who have entered their appearance 

as counsel of record.

 s/ Eric W. Kessler 

Eric W. Kessler, Esq.

Attorney for Defendant Spear

Case 2:18-cr-00422-DJH Document 1588 Filed 06/08/23 Page 7 of 7