County claims prostitution occurs at strip club

HOUSTON – One of Houston's biggest strip clubs has been accused of allowing prostitution and drug use for years.

The Harris County Attorney's Office is seeking a temporary injunction to stop what he calls "credit card prostitution" at Treasures, 5647 Westheimer Road.

Treasures is the largest liquor retailer in the state of Texas. Its revenues top $15 million per year, according to investigators.

The club employs hundreds of dancers, but investigators said topless dancing isn't all that's being sold.

In the past three years, Houston police said there have been 23 prostitution arrests at the club, plus seven arrests on drug charges and another six arrests on aggravated assault charges.

"They contend that it's a glamorous strip club, but we contend that it's a wide-open whore house where you can use a credit card," Assistant Harris County Attorney Terry O'Rourke said.

Treasures' legal team declined to comment, but in court papers they said that the club's owners, David and George Davari, have been subjected to selective enforcement and retaliation in recent years because of their federal lawsuit challenging Houston's sexually-oriented business ordinance.