SEDONA, Arizona – A website widely associated with prostitution and other sex crimes investigations in Baton Rouge and other areas was shuttered and the FBI said Friday, it had raided the Arizona home of the website's founder, Michael Lacey.

Media outlets in Arizona first reported information late Friday afternoon.

Lacey started Backpage.com, a classified site that has been under investigation for claims it promoted illegal, adult sex ads and child sex trafficking.

An Arizona television station reported on its website Friday, site executives have argued they are protected by the Communications Decency Act and said the law protects internet publishers from liability related to content created by third parties. Lawmakers, according to a report, counter that Backpage alerted posters to key terms related to trafficking and allowed users to repost ads.

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