Los Angeles, CA & San Juan, Puerto Rico – It’s not often an adult performer gets a chance to swoop in and save the day for one of her fans, but that is exactly what model and adult film actress Lupe Fuentes made happen in a courtroom in Puerto Rico on April 7th, 2010.
Carlos Simon-Timmerman, a fan from New York, was visiting his home country of Venezuela and was excited to find a Lupe Fuentes compilation DVD at a local flea market containing early movies and images of the then 19-year old star.
Upon returning home on August 11, 2009, on a stopover in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Little Lupe the Innocent: Don’t Be Fooled By Her Baby Face, among other DVDs, was seized by the United States government, and Simon-Timmerman was arrested and charged for what the government believed to be illegal possession and transportation of images involving minors – under the age of 18 – engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
After spending nearly two months in jail and with a 20-year maximum prison sentence at stake, Simon-Timmerman and his public defenders were seemingly defeated. The Federal Government and the United States Attorneys Office presented the testimony of a Special Agent of Immigration and Customs Enforcement that deals with child pornography and child exploitation cases. She testified that Lupe was “definitely” under the age of 18. The government then presented the testimony of a pediatrician, who also assured the courts that she was 100% sure that Lupe was underage.
Simon-Timmerman’s fate seemed to be doomed without some way of finding production dates for Lupe’s videos and photos. Via MySpace, the legal team contacted Lupe in hopes that her testimony could set him free. She immediately agreed and flew to Puerto Rico on April 6th, 2010 to appear in court on April 7th, 2010 to state her case in court, presenting evidence copies of documents showing her birth date, and dates of production for the Little Lupe DVD. “Lupe walked into the courtroom and it was like a courtroom drama in a movie”, according to Assistant Public Defender Héctor L. Ramos-Vega.
“When Lupe walked in, that tiny human being, she looked like she was seven feet tall. She owned the room, and she immediately won the jury over.”
The prosecution, recognizing that its case had been completely discredited, moved to dismiss all of the charges against Simon-Timmerman.
Of all criminal cases in Puerto Rico, only about 3% go to trial. Of those, only 1-2% will win with the help of a public defender. Simon-Timmerman’s defenders are grateful: Vega said, “Justice was served, and Carlos is a free man thanks to Lupe. He can now go back home and continue his life which was placed in pause for 8 months.”
“Lupe as not only the world’s youngest looking porn star, but a humanitarian who cares about justice, and cares about her fans,” says Ramos-Vega.