Metropolitan Government today asked a Criminal Court judge to declare the House of Thrills, 709 3rd Avenue South, a public nuisance and order its padlocking because of the lewd, unsafe, and open sexual conduct occurring inside the business.
During a year-long investigation of the House of Thrills, Central Precinct undercover officers witnessed numerous customers engaging in various sex acts and masturbation, in plain view, while inside the business. Between April 2006 and April 2007, more than 50 persons were arrested or issued state citations for indecent exposure/public indecency, indecent acts, and assault directly related to lewd sexual activity occurring inside the House of Thrills.
In support of its public nuisance lawsuit, affidavits have been filed with the court from five undercover officers who graphically detail the lewd sexual activities they witnessed on the part of some 55 patrons. Also included is an affidavit from Dr. Kimberlee Wyche-Etheridge, the Metro Health Department’s Chief Medical Officer, who says that, from a public health standpoint, the House of Thrills poses a serious threat. According to Dr. Wyche-Etheridge’s affidavit, “the sexual activity taking place inside the House of Thrills, which is most notably taking place without the use of protection that would prevent the spread of communicable diseases, and among a high-risk population (multiple sex partners), poses a serious health risk to this community.”
“Despite numerous arrests over the past several months, the House of Thrills has continued to blatantly operate in defiance of the law,” Chief Ronal Serpas said. “A public nuisance/padlocking request is a last resort effort to address this continuing problem.”
Officers today are working to serve the business and its owners/operators with a copy of the lawsuit and notice of a hearing before Judge Mark Fishburn at 9 a.m. on May 29.
The House of Thrills is believed to be operated by Daniel Robert Piper, also known as Daniel Mevio, and Michelle Leigh Scheffel. The business license is in Piper’s name. The registered owner of the premises is I-65 Realty Partners, LLC, a limited liability company organized in Nevada. Corporate records on file in Nevada list Nat Realty Group, Inc., as the principal and managing member of I-65 Realty Partners. James Altman is listed as the president, secretary and treasurer of Nat Realty Group, Inc.
Ironically, I-65 Realty Partners and Altman have been parties to six other public nuisance actions filed in Davidson County Criminal Court since 2002 involving Fantasy’s Gentlemen’s Club (2002); 5th Avenue Spa (2002); Lipstick (2002); Mr. V’s Dance Hall (2002); Executive Club 701 (2004); and Babes Showclub (2004).
Over the past six years, the Metropolitan Police Department, Metropolitan Legal Department, and District Attorney General Torry Johnson have collaborated to padlock a number of businesses that were operating as public nuisances because of the activities taking place in and around them.
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