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THREE SEATTLE STRIP CLUBS COULD BE SHUT DOWN BY FEDS
By: Jeff Livingston, Staff Writer - 05-06-10 - 10:30 a.m. PDT
Email Jeff@JRLChartsonline.com
Three Seattle-area heterosexual strip clubs, including the notorious Rick's in Seattle's Lake City district, could be shut down as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors.Sources inside the investigation claim that Steve Fueston, David Ebert, and Leroy Christensen, three of the men behind the Rick's Strip Club Company, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court yesterday.
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The three pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering, money laundering, and promoting prostitution for their roles in a month-long federal criminal investigation into Rick's Strip Club and three other strip clubs they own - Sugar's, Honey's in Everett, and Fox's in Pierce County.
Soures also told JRL that the deal ensures that none of the men, operators and owners of the strip clubs will go to prison for their crimes, and the government is not requiring them to testify against the 92-year-old Colacurcio Sr. or his son, Frank Jr., 46, the only defendants left in the sweeping case.
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As she showed up for work Wednesday morning, one dancer at Rick's told KING 5 that employees had heard about the plea deal. She says they were still showing up for work just in case it was still business as usual.
The plea would end an investigation dating back to 2008. Federal agents say the three men, along with Frank Colacurcio Sr. and Frank Colacurcio Jr., conspired to force club dancers to sell sex in order to pay hefty payments to club managers and keep their jobs. The clubs have been a law enforcement target for years according to our sources told JRL.
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Federal investigators were on this case even before the infamous Strippergate scandal in 2003 when the Colacurcios secretly funneled campaign contributions to three Seattle city council members who were considering their request to expand the Rick's parking lot.
Sources say the Colacurcios are not part of this latest plea agreement and could still face jail time.