A Tacoma man who ran a Parkland strip club was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in connection with a criminal enterprise run by a notorious Seattle family.
Fox’s operator Steven Michael Fueston, 62, pleaded guilty in April to conspiracy to permit prostitution near a military establishment, a misdemeanor, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Leroy Richard Christiansen, 68, of Seattle, and David Carl Ebert, 62, of Monroe, also were sentenced Tuesday on racketeering and prostitution charges.
The three were associated with the Colacurcio organization, whose assets were frozen by the federal government in 2008 after a two-year investigation. The clubs were closed in May.
The men admitted they promoted prostitution in their strip clubs – Fox’s in Parkland, Rick’s in Seattle, Honey’s in Everett and Sugar’s in Shoreline.
They forfeited their interest in more than $7.5 million of property to the government, and cannot run an adult entertainment business in the state for the next five years. As part of the plea agreement, they will not serve jail time.
District Judge Richard A. Jones said the men “condoned, supported, encouraged and tolerated” prostitution at the clubs.
Jones said that, as a result of the companies’ policies, women trying to legitimately earn an income as dancers were pressured into prostitution.
The final defendant in the case, Frank Colacurcio Jr., 48, of Seattle, will be sentenced in September. Under the terms of his plea agreement, he will receive a year and a day in prison.
Frank Colacurcio Sr., the alleged head of the criminal enterprise, died earlier this month at 93.
Joyce Chen: 253-597-8426
joyce.chen@thenewstribune.com
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