FRANKLIN, Wis. — The Franklin Common Council failed to reach a decision Tuesday on whether to renew the operating license for On the Border Gentlemen's Club, a business tied to an ongoing criminal sex trafficking investigation.
Three council members voted to approve the license renewal while three others abstained, leaving the matter unresolved. The council moved the item to its June 16 meeting.
The investigation began more than five years ago and involved multiple law enforcement agencies working together to build a case against those accused.
Over the past six months, four men and one woman with ties to the club have been charged. Jimmy Durant, Dantavia Rule and Maurice Russel face multiple charges, including human trafficking, domestic abuse and victim intimidation. Brian Hopkins, the manager of On the Border, and Anne Fabiani are both charged with keeping a place of prostitution.
Franklin Mayor John Nelson said the unfinished investigation complicates the council's ability to act.
"The investigation is not done yet, so we don't have all the facts, so it's tough to make a decision with proper due process in a very transparent manner if you don't have all the facts, and the investigation is ongoing," Nelson said.
Nelson said the business no longer fits the community.
Watch: Franklin common council delays vote on strip club license amid sex trafficking investigation
"We're beyond this type of business. Okay, this type of business, we're beyond it," Nelson said.
Franklin resident Joe Mercado, who has lived in the city for six years with his daughter and son, lives just down the street from the club. He said closing it is a straightforward decision.
"This is a family subdivision and a very family-oriented area. You've got a lot of families moving in, you've got people expanding, and that just doesn't seem to fit what the culture needs for this area right now," Mercado said.
Mercado said the nature of the investigation makes the situation deeply personal.
"Any dad who loves their children would tell you that it breaks their heart, right? You have to look at that and say that's someone's daughter," Mercado said.
He also expressed concern that the council may delay taking meaningful action.
"My concern is that the common council will just kick the can down the road, and they won't address the issues," Mercado said.
Nelson said if the council votes against renewing the license on June 16, a hearing on whether to revoke it would follow, and the entire process would need to be completed before June 30.
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