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'Girls Gone Wild' Producer Joe Francis Convicted In False Imprisonment, Assault Case

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — "Girls Gone Wild" producer Joe Francis was found guilty Monday of misdemeanor charges of false imprisonment and assault in connection to a scuffle involving three women in 2011.

Francis, 40, was convicted of three counts of false imprisonment, one count of assault causing great bodily injury and one count of dissuading a witness. He faces up to five years in jail. Sentencing is yet to be scheduled.

On Jan. 29, 2011, three women attending a college graduation party met Francis at the supperclub in Hollywood.

Francis took one woman into his limo. The other two followed with the belief they were being taken to their car, according to Deputy City Attorney Mitch Fox.

Francis, however, took the victims to his house, where he grabbed one of the women by the throat and hair and slammed her head onto the floor.

He told the women not to contact authorities, but the victims called 911 after they left Francis' home.

"The victims in this case should be commended for their courage in stepping forward and reporting these attacks and for not being intimidated from seeing this matter through the justice system," City Attorney Carmen Trutanich said.

(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Wire services contributed to this report.)

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