Content Warning:This article discusses sexual violence toward minors, including child abuse, exploitation, and coercion.
Since its opening, Southern Nights in Orlando has been a cornerstone of the LBGTQ+ nightlife presence in Central Florida. Established as one of the first gay bars in the city, Southern Nights closed its doors after 35 years before reopening roughly a decade later in 2014. The nightclub also has a sister location in Tampa, which opened in 2015.
Both the Orlando and Tampa locations of Southern Nights, as well as District Dive and Stiffy’s, are owned by Richard Kowalczyk, who was recently indicted for multiple accounts of crimes against minors. According to the indictment, the case also heavily includes his partner, Eric Patrick, who works as a teacher and was also charged.
Case Summary
According to the case, United States of America v. Richard Kowalczyk and Eric Patrick, on Dec. 18, 2024, a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment charging Kowalczyk with conspiracy to entice a minor, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, two counts of receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. Patrick was also charged with conspiracy to entice a minor, attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, and distribution of child pornography.
Kowalczyk’s activities were discovered by law enforcement in January 2023 through a conversation between him and a suspect under investigation. The conversation was dated from mid-April through August of 2022, in which the pair graphically discussed explicit content of children and sexual experiences with underage partners. The conversation involved the suspect sending multiple videos of child pornography and Kowalczyk discussing his desire to engage in sexual acts with minors, ideally under the age of fifteen.
This conversation was traced back to Kowalczyk through Cash App transactions, which resulted in the further investigation of his online correspondence. Both Kowalczyk and his domestic partner, Patrick, were found with child pornography, with Kowalczyk admitting his possession of the content to law enforcement. The forensic search of his phone showed that Kowalczyk had around 83 images and two videos of child exploitation, including multiple involving children under the age of 12.
A search of another phone in his possession revealed a conversation between the couple, dating from 2019 to 2021, where they discussed a desire to engage in sexual acts with minors and their plans to do so. Based on the conversations listed in the case files, it appears that Kowalczyk and Patrick had repeatedly planned trips to solicit sexual content and acts from minors. In one instance, the couple planned a trip to Key West, Fla., with the explicit goal of seeking out minors. The pair was also found using dating apps to coerce minors, clarified in the discovered message from Patrick, asking, “Do you ever find young boys on Grindr? Wondering if there’s some by resorts,” which Kowalczyk responded to with “always.”
The investigation revealed that the pair sought out a minor while on the aforementioned Key West trip, who was approximately 15 or 16 years old at the time of their encounter with the couple. According to the indictment, Kowalczyk instructed Patrick on how to coerce the minor into sexual acts, including sending and requesting sexual images, contacting the minor on multiple social media platforms, and sending messages in a suggestive tone. The minor informed Patrick that they were underage; however, the couple received child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from the minor and shared it with each other.
Both of the accused are facing lengthy prison times if convicted. If found guilty of even one act — like the attempted coercion of a minor — Patrick and Kowalczyk face a minimum of ten years in prison up to a life sentence, likely making the pair flight risks.
The fate of Southern nights
In an Instagram post from Jan. 13, Southern Nights and District Dive responded to the cases, addressing Kowalczyk’s involvement with the company throughout the trial. The two companies stressed the importance of their facilities being a safe place and how their experience facing adversity has influenced that stance. As of Jan. 13, Kowalczyk has transferred his company ownership and stepped down.
The initial message was met with pushback from patrons and members of the Tampa and Orlando communities, who expressed their disappointment in the perceived casualty of the nightclubs’ statement. One of which, posted on the Southern Nights Orlando Facebook page, stated, “This is no longer a safe space, and because of him, LGBTQIA+ are going to be incredibly more under attack. You will forever be under a magnifying glass, especially since this was co-owned and we have NO clue if the person ownership was transferred to was involved.”
The nightclubs followed up with a second statement on Jan. 15, with a message from parent company RKBARR’s owner, Clara Barr. Barr apologized for the organization’s previous ambiguity in her statement, stressing that the ongoing legal battle heavily influenced the last post. Answering the public’s questions on ownership, she also clarified that all of Kowalczyk’s shares in the company were transferred to her, making Barr the sole owner of the three locations.
According to Orlando Weekly, both of the accused parties were taken into custody on Jan. 2 and have been scheduled for trial in March.