Lt. James Hinson located a tracker device on his police car on June 3, 2005. That started the media up. Not only did they have the GTRC to cover, but now they got a modern racially motivated police scandal to boot. The talk of the first hearing was not just a buzz that the Klan was in town. There was also much talk of the fresh case of corruption.
That same night Hinson found the tracker, many of the GPD special intelligence officers, that have been accused of being in a racist secret police gang, were conducting an investigation of a strip club called La Frontera. The club catered to Hispanics and had ignored zoning violations since Feb. 13, 2004.
On that hot June night, dozens of used condoms were pulled from the establishments trash. Topless dancing was observed and according to city manager Mitch Johnson, there was questions left unanswered regarding human trafficking concerns.
According to a cop who did not want his named used, local authorities traced several of the dancers from La Frontera to a house that was being investigated by police in another county. It was reported that the dancers were driven between the house and the club by a Hispanic male.The logical thing to do would be pull their business license. End of story.
However, Mitch along with city attorney, Linda Miles, created a deal to allow the club to move across the street without penalty for operating over a year illegally. The agreement is HERE!
La frontera was first investigated by the GPD, zoning enforcement and the business license office in early 2004. They were given Notice of Violation regarding operating a strip club and making pornographic movies in a back parking lot trailer while not zoned for a sexually oriented business. That penalty is $500 per day. La Frontera operated 1 year in violation without penalty. Some of the problems as well as a city created time line are below. (Click to enlarge)
The staff of la Frontera closed up their strip club and moved across the street on Sands Drive. There was a 29 page document detailing what could and could not be done at the new La Copa Rocha. However, shortly after the move, La Copa Rocha gets caught violating their lengthy agreement.
The city did not fine them or inspect them to see if the problems have been corrected. They sent them two letters instead.
The city did not send inspectors until I began to question the lack of follow up. On Oct 11, 2005 I got this message from the legal department regarding La Copa Rocha and the city's lack of follow up. The e mail is below.
We are making sure the folks go back out there and something is done.
Linda Miles
The city sent two inspectors out to Sands Drive on October 14, 2005 to check on the club. The inspectors, Chris Payne and Barry Levine, reported in an e mail that the club had removed the doors from the private dance rooms and had hung beads to cover the private area entrance. They also reported that the club had removed all of the private dancing signs.
On may 16, 2006 the city reported to the Troublemaker that the club had not been inspected since the October inspection of 2005. The reason? The official response was there had been no complaints regarding the business.
However, in the April 5, 2006 SCORE CORE Meeting Minutes, there is talk of a new club on Sands Drive called La Copa Rocha. The notes indicated that there was complaints of lap dancing and the club was being "Looked into." But, less that 30 days later the city reports there has been no complaints reported since 2005?
Because the city cannot handle this matter fairly, the Troublemaker launched an investigation.
1. Several adult entertainers reported to the Troublemaker that La Copa Rocha is mainly a Hispanic club that caters to Hispanic males.
2. The ladies that dance at Player's Club on High Point Road sometimes go dance at La Copa Rocha.
3. La Copa Rocha is allegedly operated in the same way La Frontera was operated. The key word is they are operating outside of their zoning regulations. The operation has been doing this cat and mouse game with the city for over two years. La Copa Rocha operates as an adult business.
The Troublemaker went to the location of La Copa Rocha Sunday morning to see what the place looked like after a night of business. The parking lot was clean and well manicured. The Troublemaker went to the back of the building to take a peek inside the dumpster to see what the establishment throws away. The Troublemaker took one trash bag and opened a small hole in it. It was full of beer bottles, ashes, cigarette butts, and greasy napkins. After briefly shaking the bag to expose some of its contents a used condom slithered out. (The condom is on the bottom right of the picture. It is right above the black trash bag.)
The city has handled this operation horribly. It seems as if someone is working hard to make sure this business is untouchable. The N&R mentioned strippers and the role they played in a large cocaine ring and a dirty cop scandal. Some went to prison. Some are missing. All were caught up in shady dealings. It would seem to me that the city would exercise zoning ordinances to prevent shady strip clubs from doing shady stuff. After all, this is a club that is operated by the same people who ran La Frontera. According to Mitch Johnson, there was human trafficking concerns in June of 2005 at La Frontera. Good thing they moved it across the street.
6 comments:
OK, I totally get all of that. I don't doubt any of what you've reported. But here's my question: WHY? WHY? WHY? Why would the City, i.e., Mitch and Linda and whomever, let this keep going? What's in it for them? I mean, there HAS to be a reason, right? What do your sources say about that, or have you heard, and can you tell us (yet), or speculate? I want to know why they would let this continue. It's time for the Troublemaker to make another City Council visit. And maybe there will be less love this time. Hispanic women in slavery, citizens or illegal aliens either one, deserve the attention of the authorities (and FREEDOM!), and it sounds like GPD would do their job here if THEIR bosses would do theirs, is that what I hear you saying?
you ask why? One could say it is so fishy that it has inside corruption involved. But, this is not the case. The city just does not care that inspectors send letters and dont follow up. When I get a letter, a bad letter, if I don't correct it something like the power goes off or the water gets shut off or the car gets towed...But, if you are La something and open near the old mall...well...nobody seems to care what you do. I am willing to bet that la Copa could not run a front for a strip club at friendly shopping center...some sides of town just dont matter.
As for slavery...we dont know that for sure..but..with the current explosion of hispanics into NC over the past five years..there has been several examples of trafficking young hispanic women for the purpose of prostitution. Home depot on JJ Drive was a good example. It is naive not to have a guard up. One thing is for sure, however you come here...legal or illegal..brown, black or white...nobody should work in indentured servitude arrangements...we dont do that here...I will look like the biggest ass in town if i it helps bring attention to that threat...Gso has a history of standing up and correcting wrongs...Gso also has a hsitory of having some sketchy dealings with immigrant prostitutes..it is horrible that police even have to deal with it...especially if it can be corrected by zoning. It is not even a police issue. but, since the city has let it grow and prosper it is a police issue. They should revoke the license..they have had several chances and have failed to follow up. and they wont do it...they will put the heat on vice..and vice will say...we aint got no insiders...we aint got no hispanic informants...and it will drag out....again
Nice work, Ben. Many of the White dancers @ The Players Club work @ Copa Roca on the weekend. And unless you have a Mexican friend and/or know Johnny, it's almost impossible to get in especially if you're White, because the largely Hispanic crowd thinks you're either undercover and/or work for INS. It's funny how the city is trying to shut down the LEGIT strip clubs (and other adult businesses), but won't do ANYTHING against the one's that are violating the law, like Copa Roca and Simply Explicit (next to Christie's Cabaret on Wendover). Keep it up!
Trouble,
It is about time you got back to the real deal. The GTRC and the police problems have occupied too much space on your blog. I am very happy to see you back in the street. One question, you used to have pictures of ladies on the Troublemaker. Since it is hot again, can we expect to see some more car wash type stuff?
Car wash stuff? As a militant feminist I object, unless we get to see man thongs as well. No seriously, please avoid the man thongs at all costs. Someone asked for a reason? Well, lets see, if there is something illegal going on, and gov't knows about it, they are obviously getting paid somehow. Lets just hope its money and not anything having to do with coercion on the part of the poor women who are being lured to NC and then forced to f$&k.
You say there was an agreement between the bar owners and Mitch Johnson and Linda Miles.
But the transcript said that Clyde Albright (City Attorney's office) and Chris Payne (Tax Collector's office) negotiated the agreement. What gives?
Anyway, is it Bill Ruska's job to decide when to go for these fines? Why don't they ever collect them? Was it the same when you worked in the Inspections department?
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