SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Law enforcement experts and some victim advocates for children used as sex workers say permanently shutting down what prosecutors call an online brothel could have unintended consequences.
California is prosecuting Backpage.com's two founders and its chief executive.
Officials have called Backpage the top U.S. online prostitution ad provider.
It had a strange relationship with police who relied on it to find sex traffickers and exploited children.
California prosecutors have said it raked in millions of dollars from sex trafficking that often included They want it shut it down and the owners jailed.
The site's two founders and its top executive will try to convince a judge to dismiss pimping, conspiracy and money laundering charges.
Backpage in January put its adult services section on hold amid legal troubles.
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