Colorado- It seemed like a good idea at the time.
A year ago, when business was slow at his Smokin’ Mayor barbecue restaurant, Federal Heights Mayor Dale Sparks took a side job as a doorman at the town’s only all-nude nightclub.
Sparks, 55, said he thought briefly then about what his constituents would think. But after talking it over with his wife of 35 years, he decided it would be fine to sit at the door, check IDs and collect the cover charge.
“The bottom line is (that) what I make being doorman pays for my health insurance,” he said. “Still, I knew there would be an issue from a few citizens’ perspective about working there.”
All went well enough until this weekend, when about two dozen officers stormed Bare Essence, 8485 Umatilla St., with warrants to arrest 10 people, including the owner, DJ and eight dancers.
Dancers Tyisha Lipscomb, 21, and Jennifer Sylvester, 19, were arrested and charged with prostitution. Dancers Sherri Kay Newson, 30, Olga Glazkova, 22, and Petra Sheely, 21, were charged with violating the city’s adult entertainment code of conduct for allegedly performing lap dances, which the code prohibits.
Owner Leonid Tsodikov, 42, and disc jockey Donald Macleod, 50, were charged with violating the code and with complicity.
Police were still looking Monday for three dancers, who were not working at the time of the sting, Federal Heights Police Lt. Gary Toldness said.
Sparks was questioned for more than two hours at the police station then was released without being charged.
“I didn’t know any of this was going on,” Sparks said. “I’ve never been back there to receive a private dance. I’ve never been back there to watch one. So I don’t know what goes on back there.”
Nonetheless, Sparks said he has decided to quit working at Bare Essence, at least for the rest of his mayoral term, which ends next year, to prevent any perception of a conflict of interest. And he will continue to recuse himself whenever the City Council discusses the club.
The city attorney plans to brief the council privately tonight on the strip-club investigation. Sparks said the city will probably take action against the club at some point.
“I don’t want a house of ill repute in our city, period,” he said. “If these charges are founded, let the democratic process work and they probably won’t be around.”