Joe Francis, bodyguard charged in Hollywood party altercation

The L.A. city attorney's office charged "Girls Gone Wild" founder Joe Francis and his bodyguard Tuesday with multiple misdemeanors related to a physical altercation with three women after a party in Hollywood.

Francis, 38, faces three counts of false imprisonment, one count of dissuading a witness from reporting a crime and one count of assault causing great bodily injury.

Vagram Gegdzhyan, his driver and bodyguard, faces additional criminal counts of impersonating a public officer with intimidation and one count of fraudulently using a badge.

If convicted of all counts, Francis faces up to five years in county jail and/or $13,000 in fines. Gegdzhyan could face up to six years.

The case stems from a January incident in which the female victims in the case went to Supper Club in Hollywood to celebrate a college graduation.

Near the end of the evening, the women met Francis and briefly had a conversation before he left. After the club was closing, he allegedly grabbed one of the women by the hand and took her to his limo.

The two other women entered the limo believing they were being taken to their car.