As reported by The Orlando Sentinel, club owner Richard Kowalczyk, and former teacher Eric Patrick were indicted and subsequently arrested on charges of conspiracy and attempted coercion and enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activity. Kowalczyk has also been charged with two counts of receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography and Patrick is facing a count of distribution of child pornography, the outlet noted cited court documents.
Law enforcement agencies began investigating the pair in 2023 when the search of a device from an unnamed third suspect revealed messaging between the suspect and Kowalczyk via Telegram discussing child sexual abuse material in graphic, explicit terms. The court records revealed that both suspects in the 2022 chat claimed to have had sexual encounters with children, and the suspect sent child pornography videos to Kowalczyk.
By tracing CashApp payments and linking them to Kowalczyk’s phone number, investigators verified the suspect’s identity and the home he shares with Patrick was raided with both men’s electronic devices seized. On devices owned by both men authorities found evidence that both were engaged in child exploitation.
The Sentinel reported that Kowalczyk confessed to law enforcement in an interview that he had received the child pornography per court documents. His iPhone reportedly held 83 images and two videos of child exploitation with some containing imagery of minors younger than 12.
According to WESH, the indictment of Kowalczyk and Patrick traced several years of SMS texts between them in which officials described the two men discussing their mutual desire to have "sexual relations with teenage boys," and to "find new teenage boys with whom to have sexual relations,” adding that they would frequently share “sexual images” with others they met via online dating sites.
In July 2020 the outlet reported, the men allegedly met a 15-year-old boy and shared sexual images of him between them along with the boy’s contact information.
Attorney Fritz J. Scheller, representing both men gave WESH the following statement, "Mr. Kowalzcyk and Mr. Patrick have pled not guilty and continue to maintain their innocence. They trust in the legal system to prove them right."
The Post Millennial’s Andy Ngo reported via X that the men were granted $400,000 bail and “have since deleted all their social media and photos online.”
However, Ngo was able to locate online images of Kowalczyk. He noted that the couple recently gained custody of a baby adding “the court has shockingly allowed them to continue contact with that child.”According to court documents, investigators discovered communications where Richard "Rick" Kowalczyk and another man shared graphic content of child s—x abuse involving boys as young as seven.
— Andy Ngo (@MrAndyNgo) January 15, 2025
Kowalczyk was the owner of "Southern Nights," two cornerstone drag and queer clubs in… pic.twitter.com/cbp8aj5wH5
