LAWRENCEVILLE, GA– Some people like to throw a party with clowns, some people like to throw a party with booze, some people like to throw a party with dancing – and some people like to throw a party with dancing around a stripper pole. Unfortunately for Constance Trahan, the Gwinnett County Police consider the latter to be proof of running an illegal strip club.Trahan doesn’t deny that there’s a stripper pole in her basement, but she insists it has nothing to do with nude dancing and even less to do with running a business.
Nonetheless, the 28-year-old woman was arrested on July 18th for operating a strip club in her basement and garage, as well as providing alcohol to minors.
Friends of the woman insist that nothing other than a loud, fun party took place, with Trahan’s housemate, Christyana Hall informing the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that “It was a regular gathering. It’s just a misunderstanding.”
According to the Journal-Constitution, Trahan, a carpenter by trade, had recently completed renovation on her home and had created a lounge area for group relaxation. On the 18th, Hall and friends threw Trahan a party to celebrate both the completion of the remodeling and her birthday.
It proved wild enough to attract the police and inspire guests to flee.
“The music was wild,” Hall admitted, “but it’s a quiet home. There were no strippers, no club, no underage drinking. What people do in the privacy of their own home is their own business.”
Police accounts of the party differ, however, with theirs including tales of a noise complaint, a party filled with teenagers, minors consuming alcohol and a sign reading “1 Dollar Jello Shots.”
Although Hall insists that the Jello shots were for adults, Trahan was charged with maintaining a disorderly house and remains free on $1,300 bond.
Also arrested was Lester Ramirez, a 20-year-old who police claim lied to officers about his age, had marijuana in his mouth, booze in his hands and told officers that his hostess was selling alcohol and had dancers in the garage/basement area. Ramirez was released on a $3,900 bond.
Regardless of police claims to the contrary, Hall remains steadfast in her insistence that her home is “just a regular house that had a birthday party.”
