A lawyer said an appeal has already been filed in the Austintown case.

By ELISE FRANCO

A lawyer said an appeal has already been filed in the Austintown case.

AUSTINTOWN — The manager of the Go Go Girls Cabaret strip club on Clarkins Drive and the owner of the hotel that houses the club have been found guilty of displaying illegal advertisements.

A lawyer for both, however, says an appeal of the ruling is already filed.

Judge David D’Apolito of Mahoning County Area Court ruled a banner “exceeding 60 square feet in dimension” and a satellite dish with a woman’s face painted on it as an advertisement violate Austintown’s zoning code.

The banner is about four times the permitted size.

Michael Kurilla, township zoning inspector, said the banner was removed before the trial began. But because it violated the timetable for removal from when the complaint was filed, the defendants Robert Neill, club manager, and the Chatur Corp., owner of the Economy Inn Hotel, were found guilty.

He said D’Apolito is giving them 30 days to paint the satellite dish before deciding on a penalty.

“He is giving them an opportunity to remedy the violation,” Kurilla said. “If they don’t comply, I’m sure it will have an effect on the judge’s decision for a penalty.”

Neill was not available to comment Wednesday afternoon, according to a person who answered the phone at the club.

His attorney, Sebastian Rucci, said an appeal has already been filed in the case, which means the 30-day time frame to paint the dish should be put on hold until a decision has been made.

He said the club is not the only business in the area with such advertisements.

“From our perspective, if you have eyes and you drive around Austintown, you see stuff like that all over the place,” Rucci said. “We’re no different than anyone else, and we feel that we’re being singled out.”

He said he doesn’t believe the dish is violating any zoning laws.

“I think it’s clear to us that we weren’t violating anything, but we’ll let the court decide,” he said.

Kurilla said the dish, which is next to the hotel, visible from Interstate 80 and state Route 46, is considered a violation because it has the name of the business on it, deeming it a sign or advertisement.

Under the zoning laws, all signs for a sexually oriented business must be attached to the building.

Kurilla said the club is still open.