Sunday, September 24, 2006
Deputies, ABC search bikini bar
Reports of lewd acts, drug sales prompt serving of warrant
By KATHERINE ROSENBERG / Staff Writer
HESPERIA — In the neon glow of beer signs and dim overhead lighting, dozens of shocked clubgoers and bikiniclad dancers stood with their hands on their heads, ordered by authorities to stand still and wait to be searched.
Photos by James Quigg / Staff Photographer
San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy Sal Acala searches customers and employees of the Gentleman’s Club on Bear Valley Road in Hesperia on Friday evening. The Sheriff’s Department and Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control investigators served a search warrant for violations in the club.
Officials swarmed the Gentlemen’s Club on Bear Valley Road at Cottonwood Avenue, serving a search warrant of the premises late Friday night in a joint operation of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Victorville and Hesperia stations.
The operation was the result of months of investigation into the activities at the club, in which officials say that lewd acts, among other violations, have been taking place.
Upon their entry, 10 deputies and detectives ordered all patrons and employees to the middle of the floor where they were searched for weapons and drugs, and later, their identification checked for warrants. At least four people, including some of the dancers and a bouncer, were arrested for warrants for various offenses including possession of narcotics, according to Detective James Wiebeld of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Victorville station.
Six others, all dancers, were issued misdemeanor citations for lewd and lascivious acts in public and employee solicitation of drinks, Wiebeld said.
Three other dancers that were not working at the time of the operation are expected to be cited once they are identified, officials said.
“For the past couple of weeks deputies from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department assisted by agents from ABC have been conducting undercover operations in the Upper Desert area,” Wiebeld said. “Part of those operations included a program conducted at the Gentlemen’s Club. During the investigation officers were successful in purchasing narcotics from at least one dancer at the location and several other transactions were facilitated within the premises.”
Undercover deputies said that on more than one occasion they saw dancers exposing their chests, a violation of ABC regulations, as the business only has a license for bikini dancers, not nude dancers, said Scott Stonebrook, an investigator with ABC based in Riverside.
“It’s what’s known as a bikini bar. They are allowed to dance in bikinis as long as their private areas are covered and they don’t do anything like simulate sex acts,” Wiebeld said.
“ABC will review the undercover activity including the citations made tonight and they will make a determination of responsibility and whatever necessary action that may be warranted against the business will be taken by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control,” Wiebeld said. “That can be anything from a fine to a number of days suspension of the license or complete revocation of the license.”
The operation was directly funded by a grant from ABC that allows area agencies to proactively focus on keeping on- and off-site businesses with liquor licenses in compliance with state regulations.
The Victorville station has been awarded the grant for three years in a row
BS Ranch Perspective:
Nobody ever said that when an Investigation ends that it was going to be a pretty sight. They were arresting and getting ready to handcuff, or zip-tie-cuffed up and take them away to the Poky, to question upon their either release or further incarceration pertaining to their involvement in the investigation of the case. I don't know anything about the case or what when on or even what crimes that was committed, I guess they crossed the line when it came to the gentlemen part of the club!
That is not a good operation, basically that is a brothel, and they are running prostitution, I don't know if the management is to blame here it might be just the employee's that took this upon themselves, well you know that is what the management is going to say. The employee of the club brought this upon themselves to make money!! we tried numerous times to stop it but they didn't and would not!! this is what happened!!
However I know that if this has been an ongoing investigation they have the management on Tape telling the employee to sell their body through the night! or rub, grab, etc etc.. anything that they are not supposed to do they are doing thinking that the County Sheriff's Department is not a very quick to react department. Well they reacted pretty darn quick to this one and cleared a pervert parlor for sure!!
Good job, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, Way to Go!! Good Catch!!
BSRanch
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