'Girls Gone Wild' Founder Convicted of Assaulting Women

Faces up to five years in jail

L.A.'s city attorney praised the courage of the victim after a jury Monday convicted "Girls Gone Wild" creator Joe Francis of nearly half a dozen misdemeanor counts in connection with assaults on three women.

Francis, 40, was found guilty after a two-week jury trial on five charges—three counts of false imprisonment, one count of dissuading a witness from reporting and one count of assault causing great bodily injury—stemming from the Jan. 29, 2011, incident.

"Whether a celebrity or not, you will be held accountable for your misdeeds," City Atty. Carmen A. Trutanich said in a statement.  "The victims in this case should be commended for their courage in stepping forward and reporting these attacks, and for not being intimidated from seeing this matter through the justice system."