This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Utah County movie distributor Clean Flicks Media on Friday filed a federal lawsuit against a man charged with sex crimes who once edited racy content from films using the company's name.
Clean Flicks says Daniel D. Thompson has violated a trademark and made misrepresentations by using the same business name and portraying himself as the company's founder.
"Thompson was never a partner, officer, affiliate, dealer, franchisee, collaborator, consultant or representative of any Clean Flicks entity in any capacity," said Clean Flicks co-founder Ray Lines. "Our name has been dragged through the mud and it's not right."
Clean Flicks was founded in Pleasant Grove as a company that removed what it considered to be inappropriate content from theatrical-release films. Lines said in 2002 or 2003 the company sold three of its buildings to Thompson's father and allowed him to be a Clean Flicks dealer. But, Lines and Clean Flicks said, the company severed the relationship when Thompson, who had been convicted of fraud, was released from prison and hired by his father.
Clean Flicks claims
Thompson continued doing business under its name, even after a federal court ruled in favor of Hollywood studios and ordered editing companies like Clean Fix to stop altering movies.
Another of Clean Flicks' co-founders, Allan Erb, said he spoke previously with Thompson and asked him to stop. The Utah Department of Commerce lists Thompson as the principal agent on at least three Orem-based businesses but none with the name "Clean Flicks."
Thompson was charged Friday in 4th District Court with two felony counts of having unlawful sex with a minor and a misdemeanor charge of patronizing a prostitute. Isaac R. Lifferth was charged with four counts of having unlawful sex with a minor, two misdemeanor counts of patronizing a prostitute and a felony count of possession of a controlled substance. They are free on bail.
The two are accused of paying for sex with two 14-year-old girls. Booking documents state Thompson told the teens his film sanitizing business was a cover for a pornography studio.
He asked the girls if they would participate in making a porn movie, but they refused, the documents state.
The arrests came just as Clean Flicks was relaunching its business, this time as an online seller and rental agent of what it calls "family-friendly" DVDs. The company no longer edits films. Clean Flicks says in its lawsuit
Thompson has injured the company.
The lawsuit, filed in Salt Lake City's U.S. District Court, asks for $1.1 million in damages plus other fees and awards.
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* PAMELA MANSON contributed to this report.