When you're entering middle age and working at a strip club, you have to know that your window for gainful employment is quickly closing. It must be incredibly stressful to watch your money-making looks just slip through your fingers like so many particles of sand. But just because you're pushing 40 doesn't mean it's a great idea to double-down and push drugs as a side job to your dancing.
Last Thursday, undercover officers raided Boardwalk strip club, arresting five employees who apparently sold drugs to cops during a six-month investigation. Among them was Yansely Hernandez, 39, a longtime entertainer at Boardwalk who was accused of dealing in the second-most-obvious kind of blow you might be able to find in the back room of a bacchanal. He is currently being detained in the Joseph V. Conte Facility on 11 charges and an immigration hold.
Miguel Pazmino, a 25-year-old stripper from Hollywood, was also charged, along with two waiters and the guy running the private dance room.
Although police treated this as a huge drug operation worthy of a half-year investigation, the waiters, Charles Crusoe and Frank Gonzales, were arrested for merely possessing less than a gram of coke. It's unclear what will happen to the other employees who allegedly offered drugs to cops but weren't present during the raid.
Despite nabbing workers from all areas of the club, Boardwalk is still up and running. But as a result of the raid, Boardwalk's management could face penalties from Florida's Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco.
Victor Zepka, the club's owner, is currently undergoing chemotherapy. Still, he was able to release this statement: "We have a fun club, good entertainment, a nice restaurant, and no one needs to do drugs here to have a good time. We don't tolerate that."
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