Friday, Sept. 13, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.
A citizen's complaint that open sex acts were occurring inside a local adult theater has resulted in the arrests of 16 customers and left the business feeling victimized.
The majority of those arrested at the Mini Adult Theater, 935 E. Sahara Ave., were openly masturbating, police said. The charge, categorized as open and gross lewdness, carries up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine if convicted.
Metro Police vice Lt. Carlos Cordeiro said a citizen had complained June 13 that offensive sexual acts were going on inside the business.
"He had brought some tourists in with him and expected it to be a different type of theater," Cordeiro said of the unidentified citizen. "What kind of theater he thought it would be, I don't know. I can't read his mind."
Undercover vice officers entered the business on four separate occasions, the last of which was Tuesday, Cordeiro said.
The Clark County Fire Department and the county's business licensing division were also part of the joint investigation, and found numerous violations that ultimately could result in the business' license being revoked, officials said.
"We were unfairly harassed," said an employee of the business, who would not give his name fearing retaliation by police. "They came in here talking like wise guys, wearing shorts hanging below their knees. They were crude. They might say that stuff was going on, but I didn't see it."
The employee says he checks the private viewing rooms every half hour and has never seen anyone masturbating.
"The owners are really angry about this," he said. "They run a clean business. They bring coffee in every morning for the customers who are here. They've refurbished the building.
"My house was burglarized a few months ago, and the police didn't come until the next day. Some people down the street called police when they saw some people speed up in a car and jump over a wall, up to no good. Turns out the car was stolen, but police didn't come to check on it. Instead they come in here and pick on us. What is this world coming to?"
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