Women accused of dancing partially nude at bar/restaurant

BLANCHESTER, Ohio - Two women have been accused of dancing partially nude at a bar and restaurant in Blanchester.

Blanchester police say they began receiving complaints on Aug. 13 about partially nude and sexually suggestive entertainment taking place on Aug. 11 at Ron's Place, located at 126 S. Broadway Street.

Police say a citizen came forward on Aug. 14 with photographs and a video of the performance. The photographs depicted numerous topless women engaged in a sexually suggestive performance, with one woman also exposing her buttocks, according to police. The faces of only two women in the photos were discernable, police said.

The citizen claimed they were not at the photographed performance, and declined to provide officers with the identity of the person who provided them.

Police say the photos are of poor quality and do not establish the location they were taken, but the video examined clearly depicts the interior of Ron's Place.

One of the topless women alleged to be in the photographs was identified by an informant as a bar employee, Julie Gannon, 41, of Wilmington, Ohio. When officers went to her place of employment Wednesday afternoon, she refused to cooperate and was provided legal counsel by the bar owner. Gannon was charged with disorderly conduct, alleging that she caused alarm to others by making an offensive display in a public place, specifically by exposing her breasts.

Later Wednesday, an anonymous person contacted police alleging the other woman appearing in the photographs was Amie Richard, aka Amie Masten, 27. A search of BMV records produced a photograph that matched a person appearing in the photographs who was topless and exposing her buttocks. Richard is currently on probation through the Clinton County Court of Common Pleas, and is homeless. Richard is charged with public indecency on allegations that she exposed her buttocks at a time and place where it was likely to offend others.

Neither of the two women accused have been arrested in connection to this incident, but both have warrants out for their arrests.

The owner of Ron's Place says there was a car wash fundraiser to fight breast cancer Saturday afternoon and that women were there in bikinis to support the efforts.

He also claims the women charged in the incident are not employees of his establishment. He believes they were intoxicated and things got out of hand.

The owner also says he is being targeted because he forced a few patrons to leave because they were lighting up fire crackers. He claims they are mad and this is how they are getting back at him.

Ohio's Public Indecency statute prohibits the exposing of one's "private parts" in a public setting, but Blanchester police say two Ohio appellate courts have held that female breasts are not a "private part."

Ohio Liquor Control Rules prohibit nudity in liquor permit establishments. It is not a criminal infraction, but an administrative infraction that can only be enforced by Ohio Liquor Control Agents. Blanchester police say a copy of their investigation will be forwarded to them with a request that they bring forth citations for these violations.

Blanchester police also say they received anonymous complaints that intoxicating beverages were being served on the same night free of charge, which is prohibited under Ohio law. Police have found no one willing to come forward that has first hand knowledge to establish that those actions took place.