Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart, Kari Ann Peniche Sex Video: Why Does LAPD Have a Copy?

The Los Angeles Police Department, according to Gawker, have a copy of the threesome sex tape / naked video of Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart (who happens to be Dane's wife), and former Miss Teen USA 2003 Kari Ann Peniche. Why would the LAPD have such a tape? Perhaps, one might surmise, the three are involved in the illegal activity of using substances with which to become intoxicated (other than alcohol). Perhaps. But that may be negligible compared to what might be the true reason behind why the LAPD has the tape.

As more and more is learned about the threesome sex tape of Grey's Anatomy star Eric Dane, his lovely wife Rebecca Gayheart, and the fallen beauty pageant winner Kari Ann Peniche (she was stripped of her crown and title when she posed for Playboy in 2004), the more something illicit seems to be involved. The threesome sex tape appeared on the internet Monday on Gawker, revealing an intoxicated trio of naked revelers. A bit personally irresponsible but otherwise seemingly harmless. Except for two salient reasons.

Extortion and prostitution.

Although the two are very dissimilar criminal activities, they both cross into the threesome sex video (which everyone involved insists was not a "sex video" but a "naked video" because sex never occurred) case because of a common factor -- Kari Ann Peniche.

According to Kari Ann Peniche, the only way the sex video could have gotten onto the internet would be if her roommate during "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew," country singer Mindy McCready, must have uploaded the video from a copy she made from the hard drive of Peniche's laptop. Kari Ann Peniche filed a stolen property report with the LAPD after her laptop went missing when she left the reality show. Both celebrities were on the show for treatment of their addictions. Peniche was tossed from the show when she involved herself in several incidents, one of which were allegations that she stole items from Mindy McCready.

Kari Ann Peniche told TMZ that she had not decided whether or not to pursue legal action against McCready. Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart have threatened lawsuits against anyone who publishes the threesome sex tape / video.

TMZ also reported that there was a meeting between Eric Dane, Rebecca Gayheart, Kari Ann Peniche, Mindy McCready and their reps last month. Eric Dane reportedly got all rights to the video. But there is a question of what was being negotiated. Mindy McCready's involvement in the proceedings suggests she actually did have the laptop and, by extension, the hard drive. There may be a question of extortion if Dane, Gayheart, and/or Peniche had to exchange something in return for the laptop and its information.

That is if the meeting actually took place.

But what about prostitution? It seems that the LAPD may have been looking into the possibility that Kari Ann Peniche may have been operating some kind of prostitution ring. Gawker tells of an anonymous Hollywood source that says the former beauty queen had taken to hooking up club guys who hit on her with some of her friends, working as a madam, and also turning an occasional trick herself. The source told them that she would operate under the pseudonym "Tristan Bailey."

During their intoxicated ramblings on the three minutes viewable on Gawker, Eric Dane, while they are discussing their alter ego names, was given a list by Kari Ann Peniche. He says, "I like Tristan Bailey. Tristan Bailey is good."

Coincidence? Is it a coincidence that Gawker's source would claim Kari Ann Peniche was using the name Tristan Bailey and that would be a porn name that Eric Dane and Peniche would discuss in the video? Or is Gawker simply attempting to make a tie-in without actually stating it? Or did Gawker make the name up just to be able to show a connection later? Or could they have simply overlooked something so obvious? Perhaps the LAPD did not and the coincidence is stretching their limits of credibility. Besides, what else is on that video? Is there something incriminating? For any of the concerned parties?

Could the threesome sex video be evidence in a prostitution transaction, which is illegal in California? Without video evidence of an actual monetary or goods exchange taking place, it is doubtful. But there might be something there. Or there might be enough evidence in the video to leverage information concerning one or both.

Prostitution and extortion.

Or perhaps it is simply about the trio getting high. Caught on video, as it were. Until more is known, it all comes down to speculation.

But the involvement of Mindy McCready at the meeting where the different celebrities and their representatives hammered out a deal of who got what seems superfluous unless one considers the veracity of Kari Ann Peniche's claim that McCready took the laptop. And everything hinges on Kari Ann Peniche.

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Sources:

Gawker.com
TMZ.com