HAMILTON, Ohio – A West Chester Township video store has closed its doors rather than risk having a grand jury view some of the pornographic video tapes it was selling.
My Movie Store, formerly located at 9348 Cincinnati-Columbus Road, had been under investigation by West Chester Township police for several months for allegedly selling obscene material, according to the Butler County Prosecutor’s Office.
Prosecutor Robin Piper was preparing to present the case – and the 10 questionable video tapes – to a grand jury, but the owner quickly began negotiations.
“Discussions started taking place. The (owner) said ‘OK what if I just go out of business. Can I avoid all this?”‘ Piper said.
Piper took him up on the offer, determining it was the best way to protect the public.
“West Chester police did a good investigation, made 10 buys that were viewed. They were all worthy of presentation to a grand jury. There is no doubt in my mind we would have received some indictments for pandering obscenity, but the bigger victory is forcing him to go out of business,” Piper said.
My Movie Store opened several years ago as a regular video store. Eventually it gravitated toward pornography, Piper said.
“The fact that he has gone out of business satisfies us,” he said. Although it was an oral agreement, Piper said if the store re-opens, or the owner starts selling the videos again elsewhere, he will be prosecuted.
This is the second time the prosecutor’s office has caused a business to stop selling pornography without pressing charges. Last January the Marriott Hotel in West Chester Township entered a similar agreement following a complaint about obscene videos being offered for view there.
Another hotel is currently under investigation by the prosecutor’s office based on similar complaints.
“We may be presenting material to the grand jury for consideration in the near future,” Piper said, but declined to elaborate due to the pending investigation.
The prosecutor’s office also has an indictment pending against another West Chester Township video store owner, Jeffrey Busemeyer. He is charged with four counts of pandering obscenity for videos for sale in his Pik Kwik market. His next hearing is scheduled Dec. 1.
Since Piper formed his Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section about three years ago, his office has successfully prosecuted 117 cases involving importuning, endangering, or other crimes that exploit children, Piper said.
Eleven of the convictions involve child pornography, he said and two more are pending.
“That’s 14 child pornography cases. There are some people who just don’t think this stuff is a big deal. I want people to realize we do prosecute this stuff. I don’t think the public realizes the volume of this really disgusting type of obscenity out there,” Piper said.