‘Bumfights’ producers charged in Calif.

Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2002 | 11:10 a.m.

Four Las Vegas men have been charged in San Diego County with illegally soliciting homeless people to be recorded for a video sold over the Internet called "Bumfights."

The video, released last spring, has sold more than 300,000 copies worldwide. It shows homeless men performing stunts such as ramming their heads into steel doors and jumping off buildings. The video has drawn criticism from homeless advocates and Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D.-Ore., who alleged that the video was both illegal and unethical.

The suspects, all Las Vegas residents, are Ryan Edward McPherson, 19, Zachary Bubeck, 24, Daniel Jamon Tanner, 21 and Michael Joseph Slyman, 21. McPherson was arrested two weeks ago and is out on bail, Bubeck turned himself in Monday and is out of custody. The other two told the San Diego County District Attorney's office they would turn themselves in tomorrow, a prosecutor said.

The charges include solicitation to commit a felony and paying someone to fight.

A preliminary hearing has been set on Oct. 10 at the El Cajon Superior Court.

The video was filmed in Las Vegas and California, and a three-month investigation by the La Mesa Police Department produced the criminal complaint against four suspects issued Tuesday.

The suspects allegedly offered money, alcohol and hotel rooms in exchange for being filmed, San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Curtis Ross said this morning.

Police authorities in Las Vegas looked into the issue earlier this year but said they could not gain the cooperation of the homeless and said it would be difficult to charge because of Nevada law.