Following the arrest of Stormy Daniels in 2018, an investigation into the arrest results in firings and suspensions for Ohio police officers.
As ExoticDancer.com readers may remember, in July 2018, Stormy Daniels and two other entertainers were arrested by vice-unit police officers in Columbus, Ohio during Stormy’s feature booking at Sirens Gentlemen’s Club (6190 Cleveland Avenue). The officers claimed that Stormy and the other dancers violated the “Community Defense Act” (CDA), statewide legislation passed back in 2007 that was meant to severely restrict the way strip clubs do business in the state.
The CDA, though, has been rarely enforced since its enactment, which is just one reason why the high-profile arrest of Stormy raised eyebrows across the state and the nation. Stormy had stirred the political pot with the release of her memoir, Full Disclosure, which detailed a prior, alleged sexual affair with President Donald Trump and subsequent bribery to keep the affair a secret.
Stormy’s arrest, not surprisingly, was seen to have a political motivation. Now, it seems certain that was exactly the case.
The criminal charges were dropped not long after the arrests when an internal investigation of more than 11,000 emails and over 30 hours of video determined that they were improperly arrested, according to Columbus ABC affiliate WSYX. Five Ohio police officers, including a commander, a lieutenant, a sergeant and two arresting officers, were charged for violating the Columbus Division of Police rules of conduct. Apparently, the officers did not properly apply the law as it relates to the CDA, meaning, Stormy had committed no crime when she made physical contact with customers while she was on stage at Sirens doing her feature show.
“From initially reviewing the facts surrounding Stormy’s arrest, it was evident she was clearly targeted for a high-profile arrest here,” Chase Mallory, an attorney for Stormy Daniels, told WSYX. “So we are not surprised at all. I am surprised it took this long to seek discipline. But, nonetheless, we are happy that they are.”
Finally, after that lengthy internal investigation, the sentences against those five officers were handed down on Friday, January 24th. Internal affairs investigators recommended the firing of Officers Steven Rosser and Whitney Lancaster as well as the suspension of Sgt. Scott Soha and Lt. Ron Kemmering. The Director of the Department of Public Safety Ned Pettus Jr. upheld the suggestions and implemented them on Thursday.
According to ABC News, Rosser, the arresting officer, “failed to file proper paperwork to justify the arrest of Daniels and lied to internal affairs investigators of his intention to go to the strip club that day.”
Previously, Stormy and then-attorney Michael Avenatti filed a federal civil lawsuit against the city and the officers claiming the arrest was politically motivated by pro-Trump supporters. That suit was settled for $450,000. The other women also settled their civil lawsuits against the city of Columbus for $150,000, according to ABC local affiliate ABC6.