City shuts down business, charges owner for allowing lewd behavior and not paying meals taxes

Date published: 5/20/2008

BY KEITH EPPS

A Fredericksburg business owner was charged with six misdemeanors and had his nightspot shut down following a law-enforcement raid early Saturday.

Sean Bates, 38, of Spotsylvania, the owner of the Happy Endings Bar and Grill, is accused of not paying city taxes, operating without a license and allowing lewd activities, among other things.

Fredericksburg police spokeswoman Natatia Bledsoe said the lewd activities include hosting a "Girls Gone Wild" event last month in which women bared their breasts and kissed each other at the urging of bar management and patrons.

Bates was charged with two counts of operating a business without a license, two counts of allowing lewd behavior and one count each of allowing alcohol off the licensed premises and maintaining a common nuisance.

He was also issued a civil distress warrant from the city treasurer's office accusing him of not paying more than $7,000 in city meals taxes.

According to Bledsoe, representatives of the city police, the Fredericksburg Sheriff's Office, the Department of Alcohol Beverage Control and the city Commissioner of Revenue's office participated in Saturday's raid at 1315 Princess Anne Street. The warrants were served about 1 a.m.

In addition to serving criminal warrants, authorities seized $850 from the bar that night, including workers' tips. The business's bank account had been frozen the previous day.

Bledsoe said the raid was the culmination of an investigation that began several months ago after numerous complaints were filed against the business from nearby residents.

The complaints included such things as excessive noise, public urinating and cars peeling out, Bledsoe said.

Undercover city detectives and ABC agents went to the bar on April 28 for a "Girls Gone Wild" promotion, Bledsoe said.

The "Girls Gone Wild" organizers had their own film crew there and were supposed to bring in their own girls, Bledsoe said.

But the bus carrying the girls broke down and they never made it. The camera crew and others then encouraged women who were in the crowd to take their places.

On that same night, Bledsoe said, one of the agents purchased alcohol and left the premises. He was then allowed to return with the same drink, a violation of ABC rules.

The city recently adopted its own business license law. This allows the city to collect any fine from violators instead of the state. The city ordinance took effect Wednesday, Bledsoe said.

Bates was released on his own recognizance. He was set to be arraigned this morning on the misdemeanor charges.

Keith Epps: 540/374-5404
Email: kepps@freelancestar.com

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Date published: 5/20/2008

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