Sex charges against Club Utopia tossed

Although Clark County business-license investigators claim they saw rampant nudity and actual sex acts at Club Utopia's "Nymphomaniac's Ball" on Jan. 8, Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo has tossed out criminal charges.

Club Utopia was cited for illegally operating an erotic dance establishment after two investigators detailed what they considered to be numerous ordinance violations.

But Abbatangelo ruled Thursday that the one-time event -- even if nudity and sex-related acts occurred -- prevents a guilty verdict against the club at 3675 Las Vegas Blvd. South.

He stated in a written decision that an erotic dance establishment must be an ongoing enterprise under legal definitions and the one-night ball that was held by organizers who rented the facility for the event kept it from falling under that law.

"The court believes that a business does not become an erotic dance establishment merely by allowing a lessee to promote that activity on one annual occasion," the judge wrote.

Abbatangelo said Club Utopia "may have violated other provisions of the Clark County Code" -- citing several ordinances that he suggested may have been more fitting -- but he noted that none of those crimes were alleged.

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