Overview
- The Franklin City Council voted 3-2 on Thursday to revoke On the Border Gentlemen's Club’s liquor, entertainment and cigarette licenses after nearly six hours of public testimony.
- The business faces a state charge of keeping a place of prostitution while four men, including former general manager Brian Hopkins, are criminally charged in a multi-year human trafficking investigation.
- Court complaints say Hopkins admitted prostitution occurred at the club and that he accepted payments from traffickers to keep dancers employed, an allegation the defense disputes.
- Investigators say the probe, which involved Franklin police along with the FBI and IRS, identified at least 24 victims forced to perform sex acts in Wisconsin and four other states.
- With operations expected to halt, the club could face a civil fine up to $10,000 if convicted and prosecutors will continue pursuing criminal cases that remain pending.