#U.S.
AUGUST 2, 2017 / 2:49 PM / AN HOUR AGO

Ex-CEO of Rentboy.com gets six months for promoting prostitution

Lindsey Kortyka and Jonathan Stempel

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The former chief executive of Rentboy.com, who ran what prosecutors called the largest U.S. online male-escort service before pleading guilty to promoting prostitution, was sentenced on Wednesday to six months in prison.

Jeffrey Hurant, 52, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Margo Brodie in Brooklyn to undergo a mental health treatment program and pay a $7,500 fine.

Hurant's lawyers asked for one week to decide when he would surrender to serve his sentence, which was shorter than the 15 months to 21 months recommended by federal guidelines.

Brodie said she believed that Hurant started Rentboy.com with good intentions, and that she had considered some positive work he had done for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.

-snip-