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New Photos On "Teen Model" Website Concern Neighbors

Posted: 4:05 pm EST January 3, 2007Updated: 5:37 pm EST January 3, 2007

9 Investigates has learned that a Brevard County "teen model" website has become even more provocative in recent days. Eyewitness News first exposed the site, run by a Melbourne man, in November.


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The man admits that his website has changed, but that now he's not showing any minors. Still, the site has lots of his neighbors uneasy.

David Hardman's neighbors describe him as quiet, a guy that keeps to himself. But what he's doing behind the doors of his Melbourne home has a lot of people uneasy, paying teenage girls to take pictures that would make most adults blush.

The new year has brought new images for Melbourne "teen model" photographer David Hardman. The racy photos of teenage girls Eyewitness News first reported on a few months ago have been replaced with new photos in even more adult situations.

"It's disgusting. I don’t care if they were all clothed, it's still disgusting," said neighbor Rosemary Matos.

Hardman's Melbourne neighbors are now well aware of what he's doing behind the doors of his Mount Caramel Lane home after 9 Investigates exposed his website in November. Then, Hardman invited 9 Investigates inside and defended his site as totally legal.

"You look at some of the other websites and they are way past what I do," Hardman said in November.

Late Wednesday afternoon, 9 Investigates caught up Hardman walking into his home, where he admitted he altered the website because of the Eyewitness News story. He now claims to have stopped using underage models, even though he maintains he has never done anything illegal.

In November, he said that all his "models" were paid $500 for a session, signed consent forms and even had parental permission.

"I just can't believe that parents would give a waiver or signature out to take pictures of teenage kids," Matos said.

Matos lives down the street from Hardman and has seen young girls come and go, but she couldn't say for sure if there were ever parents along with the girls.

"I seen a few vans and cars pulling up, but I never knew what it was about," she said.

For now, in the quiet family neighborhood where the ice cream truck is greeted by a throng of kids, parents will try and steer their children clear of Hardman and the very adult things that are happening at his home.

At the time of 9 Investigates first report, law enforcement said that what Hardman showed on his site was considered child "erotica" and not "pornography," so it's not illegal under current laws.

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