It was only two years ago that federal courts ordered two DVD rental companies that specialized in distributing “scrubbed” versions of movies (in other words, movies that have had all offensive content such as profanity and nudity removed) to cease their operations. Now the founder of one of those companies is facing criminal charges of a different kind in a tale as sordid as one of the movies that the company found so offensive.

Daniel Dean Thompson, a former franchise owner of Clean Flicks, has been arrested in Utah on charges of unlawful sexual activity for soliciting sexual favors from a minor. Thompson started a similar business called Flix Club, but the solicitation charges he is facing stem from anything but family-friendly behavior. Thompson, who was threatened with lawsuits from Hollywood and had to close the business in December, was implicated in the Illicit activity when a parent confronted her 14-year-old daughter when her mother discovered some unaccounted for cash–only $20–in her daughter’s bedroom.
Some pundits are referring to these events as simply ironic. Others would say it’s all outrageously hypocritical. I would say that this is a sad testimony to the truth behind the spiritual adage that what is done in darkness will, eventually, be brought into the light.