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Court agreement closes Lisa's Cabaret
by Ed Meyer
Published: May 1, 2008 - 04:23 PM | Updated: June 17, 2011 - 06:00 PM
Beacon Journal staff writer
Lisa's Cabaret strip club in Akron must close its doors and remove all of its signs on the East Market Street property within 30 days, according to an out-of-court settlement reached today in Summit County Common Pleas Court.
City Prosecutor Douglas J. Powley and the commander of the Akron Police Department vice unit, Lt. Terry Pasko, were in court and apparently prepared to show that the club at 1004 E. Market St. was a public nuisance and a front for prostitution.
But Powley and lawyers for the property owner, Pete T. Georgekopoulos, and the club operator, Thomas B. Sessions, met for an hour and reached the agreement without any court action.
Afterward, Powley left no doubt about what vice detectives had learned of the club during months of investigation.
''Absolutely, it was a nuisance,'' Powley said. ''The police were there five times in the last 14 months, and every time they went there, they were solicited for sex -- $150 for sexual activity.''
After 30 days, the club will be prohibited from operating elsewhere within city limits, said Georgekopoulos's lawyer, Peter T. Cahoon.
The city had asked for today's hearing before Judge Brenda Burnham Unruh to obtain a court order shutting down the club as a public nuisance.
Under terms of the agreement, Georgekopoulos will retain access to the building for repairs and remodeling and -- after 90 days -- be permitted to reopen it for business or medical offices only.
Georgekopoulos also will be permitted to sell the property at any time, Powley said, with the city and the court having authority to approve such a sale for one year.
After one year, Powley said Georgekopoulos conceivably could open another strip club on the property, but only if he did so ''legally.''
On April 5, police arrested the club's manager, identified in court records as Milton Davis, on charges of promoting prostitution, a spokesperson for the county prosecutor said.
Powley and Pasko had photographs of eight women who were working at the club at the time of the arrest and apparently were prepared to use those as evidence in asking for the court order to shut it down.
Cahoon said the police investigation produced only ''allegations, but we resolved this matter without addressing those allegations [in court].''
He also said there are no pending sales of the building.
From:
http://www.ohio.com/news/court-agreement-closes-lisa-s-cabaret-1.91946
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