A Franklin club tied to a years-long prostitution and sex-trafficking investigation could lose its license. The Franklin Common Council meeting, now going on almost 4 hours, is expected to vote soon on whether to revoke or suspend the license of On the Border Gentlemen's Club.
More than 50 pages of criminal complaints and supporting documents detail disturbing allegations of how women were treated, transported and abused for profit.
According to one of those complaints, the club's general manager, Brian Hopkins, admitted to investigators that prostitution occurred at the club and that he accepted thousands of dollars from traffickers to keep dancers employed.
Three other men tied to the club face multiple charges including human trafficking, domestic abuse and victim intimidation.
The investigation began more than 4 years ago and involves multiple law enforcement agencies, including the FBI and IRS.
Watch: Franklin club tied to sex-trafficking investigation could lose its liquor and entertainment license
Multiple officers with the Franklin Police Department who have been involved in the investigation are testifying, sharing their experience interviewing victims, customers and employees at the club over the past couple of years. Franklin Police Sergeant Mark Goers testified that the club puts a burden on the department's resources.
"My majority of my workload was investigating On the Border and human trafficking and human traffickers that were operating out of On the Border, so therefore financially there was a big burden, and the city went without a detective for some time and as well as currently going without a patrol officer," Goers said.
Officers were also cross-examined by the defense attorney who represents the company that owns On the Border. The defense attorney said his client denies the felony count of keeping a place of prostitution.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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