Tampa’s since shuttered Southern Nights in Ybor City, Florida on July 12, 2019. Credit: VIAVAL TOURS / Shutterstock
The former owner of two Orlando nightclubs and his husband were sentenced to at least 10 years each in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a 15-year-old.
Husbands Richard Kowalczyck and Eric Patrick have been sentenced to 14 years and 10 years in federal prison, respectively, District Judge Carlos Mendoza announced Friday in federal court in Orlando. Each will serve 10 years of supervised release after their sentences.
At the time of their arrest, Kowalczyk owned Orlando nightspots Southern Nights, District Dive and Stiffy’s. He swiftly transferred his ownership over amid his indictment and has had no further involvement with the businesses.
Patrick, a former Gotha Middle School teacher, pleaded guilty in an Orlando courtroom Feb. 9 to attempting to entice a 15-year-old, according to his plea agreement. Patrick and Kowalczyk met the teen on Grindr, a dating app geared toward gay men, where the pair exchanged messages with him.
Because both men pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, their other charges — for conspiracy and the distribution of child pornography — were dismissed. Those charges could have gotten them life sentences.
In court, the men apologized to their own families and to the victim.
The couple was arrested in January 2025 after a federal grand jury indictment charged them with conspiracy to entice a minor, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, two counts of receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.
“They both very clearly engaged in predatory deviant sexual behavior towards minors,” the indictment read. “Their behavior went on for years, demonstrating their acts as intentional.”
The indictment said Kowalczyk participated in conversations on private messaging platform Telegram that go back as far as 2019. The “graphic exchanges” found on Kowalczyk’s phone during the investigation in 2023 included dozens of images and videos featuring minors suspected to be as young as 7 years old.
The couple share a 1-year-old daughter, who is now in the care of Patrick’s mother, according to court records.
Southern Nights, which has locations in Orlando and Tampa, has long been known for its weekly themed events, drag and burlesque shows, and for offering a safe space for LGBTQ+ community members in Orlando’s nightlife scene. The three venues employ dozens of local workers.
This post first appeared at our cousin publication Orlando Weekly.
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This article appears in Jul 30 – Aug 05, 2026.
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