From WJHG: Plea Deal Could End Girls Gone Wild Case

Joe Francis is on his way back to Bay County to face his long-standing felony charges.

Just last week a federal judge in Reno, Nevada, refused to grant Francis' motion that would have prevented him from being returned to Bay County, if he posted bond.

Francis has said in the past, he'd rather stay in jail in Reno, than return to Bay County.

However, apparently that's changed. Some kind of deal is in the works, but the details have not been finalized.

According to the local state attorney's office, they're still negotiating the terms of a plea agreement with Francis' Lawyer Roy Black, and the rest of his defense team.

The charges Francis faces stem from his crews videotaping underage girls in Panama City Beach during spring break, in 2003.

Bay County sheriff's deputies seized hundreds of video tapes, camera equipment, Francis' private jet, his Ferrari sports car and hundreds of other personal items during their raid of the Girls Gone Wild condos in March 2003.

Francis posted bond and went on about his business.

In the months that followed, Circuit Judge Dedee Costello declared many of the sheriff's office search warrants invalid, tossing-out a lot of the evidence and the charges against Francis.

However, four charges remained: two counts of promoting prostitution and sexual performance of a child, and two counts of conspiracy to promote that same activity.

In early 2007, the families of the girls involved in the 2003 incident were in the process of suing Francis and Girls Gone Wild in federal court.

During the settlement talks, Francis was allegedly disruptive to the process and disrespectful to the girls' attorneys.

Therefore, Federal Judge Richard Smoak ordered Francis to return to Bay County on contempt charges.

And, when Francis didn't show up for four days, Judge Smoak ordered him jailed for nearly a month.

While in the Bay County Jail, corrections officers found prescription drugs and cash in Francis' possession.

He was charged with introducing contraband into a corrections facility.

Based on those new charges, Judge Dedee Costello revoked Francis’ bond on the original 2003 criminal charges.

By that time, Francis had already been transferred to Reno, Nevada, to face federal income tax evasion charges, where he's remained for the last 11 months.

Apparently, Francis' attorneys have decided to negotiate the local charges, considering them to be more of a distraction at this point, to the more serious federal tax charges, which could get Francis between eight to10 years in prison.

Some of the negotiating points could be what charges Francis will plead guilty to, what happens to all of the items the local authorities seized, what happens to some of the legal actions Francis has threatened to file against the state attorney's office and the Bay County Sheriff's Office, and what kind of fines, penalties and court costs would Francis' companies end up paying.

As for Francis, he's not saying anything about a deal, but he did send us an email Monday afternoon, saying he's posting bond in Reno today, so he can immediately return to Florida to face the charges.

He says he'll be released Monday afternoon or Monday evening.

He also thanks those who supported him through what he calls "the past 11 months of hell."

Prosecutors say they just faxed an order to Circuit Judge Dedee Costello, with the final conditions of the plea deal.

If Francis and his lawyers agree, then the case is over.

It’s set for a hearing this Wednesday.