Sebastian Rucci is in jail on charges from the former Go Go Girls Cabaret

Staff report

AUSTINTOWN

Sebastian Rucci, owner of California Palms, Hotel and Suites here, is now in jail serving a sentence related to an Austintown court case.

Rucci had appealed for a hearing to have his 30-day sentence switched to house arrest during his reporting day Wednesday, but his defense lawyer was not there, court records show.

Therefore, his hearing was rescheduled for next Wednesday, and he was sent to the Mahoning County jail to begin serving that 30-day sentence Wednesday.

The sentence stems from a guilty verdict in a March 31, 2014, jury trial on four counts of being a keeper of a place where intoxicating liquors are sold in violation of law. That same day, in a trial before a judge, he was convicted of two counts of illegal sale of alcohol and one count of being a keeper of a place where intoxicating liquors are sold.

Those two cases were related to the former Go Go Girls Cabaret and were related to undercover operations at the nightclub by state agents. Those cases had been appealed by Rucci to the Seventh District Court of Appeals, but in both cases the Mahoning County Area Court’s decision in Austintown was affirmed.

One of Rucci’s defense attorneys, Atty. James A. Vitullo, declined to comment Thursday.

California Palms is at 1051 N. Canfield-Niles Road and 5455 Clarkins Drive. The Clarkins Drive address was where the former Go Go was located. Rucci renovated the hotel and opened it earlier this year with its artificial palm trees around the luxury hotel.

Rucci has said that the hotel would offer packages for local residents wanting the feel of a getaway trip without leaving the area. The businessman invested in the facility in hopes of benefiting from patrons of Hollywood Gaming at Mahoning Valley Race Course on the other side of Interstate 80 from the hotel.