The now former co-owner of an LGBTQ+ club and his partner were arrested for allegedly trying to have sex with a 15-year-old boy they found on a dating app.
44-year-old Richard Kowalczyk and his 31-year-old partner Eric Patrick, who is a teacher, sent graphic messages to each other via Telegram in Jan. 2023 about having sex with an underage boy, according to court documents.
Investigators said the couple traveled to Key West in order to meet an underage boy they met on Grindr.
Kowalczyk and Patrick exchanged “discussions of hands-on sexual encounters with minors,” as well as “multiple images and videos depicting child sexual abuse material,” according to officials.
When investigators searched the couple’s home, they found “83 images and two videos of child exploitation” on a phone owned by Kowalczyk, including that of children under 12 years of age. They also obtained evidence of conversations between the couple about their alleged efforts to meet underage sex partners on the Grindr app.
Investigators said the couple traveled to Key West in order to meet an underage boy they met on Grindr who was either 15 or 16 years old.
The indictment says that the two tried to “persuade, induce, entice, and coerce” an underage boy to engage in sexual activity and to produce pornography.
Kowalczyk had owned the Southern Nights LGBTQ+ nightclub in Ybor City, Florida, but has since transferred his ownership after the charges were filed.
The club released a statement about the incident.
“Being an LGBTQ+ nightclub, we are constantly standing in the face of adversity,” read the statement. “We have fought hard for our reputation and for our community. The allegations that have recently come to light are not ones we take lightly, and absolutely do not condone. Our businesses have no involvement in these allegations.”
Kowalczyk is facing many charges, including conspiracy to entice a minor, possession of child pornography, receipt of child pornography and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity.
Patrick is facing charges of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity, conspiracy to entice a minor, and distribution of child pornography.
Patrick’s attorney, John Notar, told WTVT-TV that he was looking forward to defending his innocence in court.
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