Earlier quoted context omitted.
Coverage of the case is here: https://frontpageconfidential.com/category/backpage/ The fed's argument is that there was so much illegal prostitution activity on Backpage that the owners must have been supporting it. The defense is currently occupied with getting access to the servers, presumably to show that the frequency of illegal postings was small compared to the rest of the site and that all reported postings we…
Fun fact, prostitution isn't a federal offense.
Fun fact: Originally the Mann Act was passed to give the government the power to prosecute interracial couples. Kinda like how sex-offender registries were first implemented to allow police in California to track gays.