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Sports Law

Prominent Basketball Agent Charged With Producing Child Pornography

On Friday, it was revealed that a Chicago youth basketball coach was charged with four counts of producing child pornography, one count of conspiracy to produce same and one count of knowingly receiving child pornography. The individual accused of such heinous crimes is not just a basketball coach, he is a sports agent who represents professional basketball players, which means this could reach beyond the State of Chicago to impact other areas, such as the age of consent florida youth and those below it.

Bradley Ames allegedly paid minor boys to record them engaging in sexual acts and then disseminated the content over the Internet. To make matters worse (if possible) Ames is alleged to have paid a co-conspirator, from time-to-time, to engage in sexual acts with the minors. Gone are the times when it used to be a scandal if a famous person watched adult pornography like , these days people don’t bat an eyelid at that as it’s the norm, unfortunately it seems more and more stars are being involved in depraved acts like this one, luckily being famous won’t stop them from being prosecuted.

On June 10, sports agency Priority Sports & Entertainment listed Ames as a part of its basketball team of agents and head of the company’s international operations. “Brad deals with the NBA Development League, from which we have had the most NBA “call-ups” of any agency,” stated the “Our Team” page.

As of today, Ames is no longer listed on the page. Additionally, a page dedicated to biography of Ames now provides an “ACCESS DENIED” title with no further information attached.

Ames had been with Priority Sports for thirteen years. It now appears that the company is doing what it can to distance itself from him.

Ames could face a minimum of fifteen years in prison. His lawyer says that the investigation has been ongoing for over two years and denies that Ames is guilty of the charges.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.