How/why is the US Postal Inspection Service involved in website forfeiture?

September 8, 2009 1:00 PM

Why would the Postal Inspection Service be involved in the seizure of a website found to be in violation of laws?

In this post about www.insex.com, PeterMcDermott points out that the Max Hardcore site has been taken down. On the website (safe for work), is the text

This website has been forfeited to the Unites States Government pursuant to the conviction of Paul F. Little, a.k.a “Max Hardcore” and Max World Entertainment for violations of 18 United States Code §§ 1461 and 1465

along with a large image of "FORFEITED" as it would look stamped on a document, and the seals of the DoJ and the US Postal Inspection Service.


In what way is the Postal Inspection Service involved in something like this? Is it specific to this case? Routine?

posted by olaguera to law & government (3 answers total)

From the DoJ press release now linked on the maxworld site:

"Little and MaxWorld were indicted in May 2007 on five counts of transporting obscene matter
by use of an interactive computer service and five counts of mailing obscene matter. "

I imagine the 5 counts of mailing obscene matter got the postal inspection service involved.
posted by pseudonick at 1:03 PM on September 8, 2009

Here are the texts of the relevant laws:

18 USC 1461
18 USC 1465

The Postal Inspector lists section 1461 as among the laws they enforce.
posted by exogenous at 1:18 PM on September 8, 2009

Thanks for the answers. I should have poked around a little before asking; mea culpa.
posted by olaguera at 3:46 PM on September 8, 2009