Go Go Cabaret owner seeks dismissal of charges

Staff report

Youngstown

The owner of the Go Go Cabaret in Austintown wants most of the charges against him and four co-defendants tossed out.

Sebastian Rucci said the defense filed a motion to dismiss Thursday on the grounds that in 2004, a federal court ruled that lap dancing cannot be considered illegal sexual activity.

“As the recent motion shows, the prosecutor has redefined lap dancing as prostitution, at the very time that Federal Judge [Ann] Aldrich ruled they cannot criminalize lap dancing in adult cabarets,” he said in an email to The Vindicator.

Assistant Mahoning County Prosecutor Dawn Cantalamessa didn’t return calls for a comment Friday afternoon.

Rucci, Curtis “C.J.” Jones, Derrick L. Dozier, Wayne Penny and Peter E. Sciullo II are charged in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court with engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, money laundering, perjury and two counts each of promoting prostitution.

The five waived their right to a jury trial May 16, and visiting Judge Thomas P. Curran is scheduled to hear their case at 9:30 a.m. Monday.

No ruling on the motion was made as of Friday afternoon.