Kevin Bollaert is accused of running so-called revenge porn website UGotPosted and changemyreputation.com, a second site which offered to remove the images for about $300 (£176) each.
He faces identity theft charges as UGotPosted included victims' locations, names and links to Facebook profiles.
The 27-year-old has pleaded not guilty.
He is also charged with obtaining identifying information with the intent to annoy or harass.
The term revenge porn refers to websites that allow people to post explicit images of former partners, either obtained consensually or stolen from online accounts.
Crack down
According to court documents, Mr Bollaert told investigators he had made "around $900 per month" from advertising on UGotPosted but records obtained from his PayPal account indicate he received payments totalling tens of thousands of dollars.
Law makers around the world are looking at ways to crack down on the practice of posting explicit images of former lovers, either obtained consensually during a relationship or stolen from online accounts.
The court case, set for 16 July, is the first against an alleged operator of a revenge porn website, according to a spokesman for California Attorney General Kamala Harris.
In October, California made posting explicit images of someone without permission punishable with six months in prison.
Texas and Utah have also passed laws aimed at halting the practice.
Source: BBC News
