FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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April 23, 2007 State Attorney Steve Meadows has taken steps to make sure that Joe Francis is kept in Bay County to answer state charges. A petition for a writ of habeas corpus was filed today and will be presented to Circuit Court Judge Dedee S. Costello on Tuesday. That writ directs the U.S. Marshall to deliver Joe Francis to appear on charges related to use of under-aged girls in his business as well as charges that he possessed controlled substances while in the jail and bribed a correctional officer. Warrants were obtained on the latter charges but have not been served on Francis because he is in federal custody. Francis entered a plea to contempt in U.S. District Court on Monday. It was also discovered that the U.S. District Court in Reno, Nevada has issued arrest warrants for income tax charges that were recently filed. |