MARIETTA – The Washington County Sheriff’s Department is seeking additional information regarding an alleged prostitution and hardcore pornographic ring uncovered in October.

As a result of a search warrant executed in mid-October, task force detectives seized over 300 hardcore pornographic videos depicting sexual acts with animals, Washington County Sheriff Larry R. Mincks Sr. said Saturday.

Developed in conjunction with another unrelated investigation, detectives obtained information that a Washington County man operated the website sickvids.com and was selling bestiality films through the mail and to customers locally. While the purchase of such videos is not illegal, the sale of such items is a fifth-degree felony for each transaction, Mincks said.

Additional investigation culminated in the identification of four local women allegedly engaged in a prostitution ring managed by the male suspect, Mincks said. Under questioning by detectives, the suspect allegedly admitted grossing in excess of $23,000 per year during the past few years – although detectives estimate the total to be much higher – and that he has been operating his website since 2000, the sheriff said.

Mincks said no arrests have been made in the case, but charges are being forwarded to the Washington County Prosecutor’s Office for grand jury consideration. The potential charges include a first-degree felony charge of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, third-degree felony charges of tampering with evidence and money laundering and a fifth-degree felony charge of pandering obscenity for each video sold.