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Tampa\u2019s since shuttered Southern Nights in Ybor City, Florida on July 12, 2019. Credit: VIAVAL TOURS \/ Shutterstock<\/p>\nTampa\u2019s since shuttered Southern Nights in Ybor City, Florida on July 12, 2019. Credit: VIAVAL TOURS \/ Shutterstock<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
At the time of their arrest<\/a>, Kowalczyk owned Orlando nightspots Southern Nights, District Dive and Stiffy\u2019s. He swiftly transferred his ownership over amid his indictment and has had no further involvement with the businesses.<\/p>\n Patrick, a former Gotha Middle School teacher,\u00a0pleaded guilty in an Orlando courtroom<\/a>\u00a0Feb. 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.<\/p>\n Because both men pleaded guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, their other charges \u2014 for conspiracy and the distribution of child pornography \u2014 were dismissed. Those charges could have gotten them life sentences.<\/p>\n In court, the men apologized to their own families and to the victim.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n \u201cThey both very clearly engaged in predatory deviant sexual behavior towards minors,\u201d the indictment read. \u201cTheir behavior went on for years, demonstrating their acts as intentional.\u201d<\/p>\n The indictment said Kowalczyk participated in conversations on private messaging platform Telegram that go back as far as 2019. The \u201cgraphic exchanges\u201d found on Kowalczyk\u2019s phone during the investigation in 2023 included dozens of images and videos featuring minors suspected to be as young as 7 years old.<\/p>\n The couple share a 1-year-old daughter, who is now in the care of Patrick\u2019s mother, according to court records.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s nightlife scene. The three venues employ dozens of local workers.<\/p>\n This post first appeared at our cousin publication Orlando Weekly.<\/a><\/p>\n Pitch in to help make the Tampa Bay Journalism Project a success.<\/a><\/p>\n Subscribe to Creative Loafing newsletters.<\/a><\/p>\n Follow us:\u00a0Google News<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0NewsBreak<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Reddit<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Instagram<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0Facebook\u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0BlueSky<\/a><\/p>\n This article appears in Jul 30 \u2013 Aug 05, 2026<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n \t