BATAVIA, N.Y. — The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Buffalo office raided a home in the Town of Batavia on Wednesday morning and it may be connected to an investigation into a gentleman's club.
The latest two men to be indicted in connection with that now years long, multi, defendant, case involving Pharaoh's Gentlemen's club were back before a federal judge today.
One of them was a long time employee of the club , the other, as was indicated in court, seemed to be a central figure there, but mostly as a customer.
Both face charges that could land them in prison for the rest of their lives.
The charges involving the activities alleged at Pharaoh's over the course of several years, include conspiracy to commit sex trafficking.
Brian Rosenthal was the longtime bouncer at the club who told investigators his primary role was to secure the VIP rooms and to make sure there was no drug activity or any illicit contact between dancers and their clients. The clients were described in court as including athletes politicians, and well-known attorneys.
Prosecutors allege that not only did Rosenthal fail to do this, but that if clients paid him enough, he would look the other way, and allow those sorts of things to go on. He is also charged with lying to the FBI and concealing a felony.
The other defendant, is Joseph Barsuk, whose property in the town of Batavia was raided by federal law enforcement Wednesday. He also faces charges of sex trafficking by coercion which prosecutors allege stem from a consistent pattern of victimizing dancers by exploiting their drug addictions, in order to coerce them into sex acts.
Barsuk was just assigned a lawyer on Thursday, so the question of bail was postponed until next week.
But, in what might be considered a blow to prosecutors, a judge released Rosenthal without bail as long as he abides by terms and conditions, which include having to give up his job at Pharaoh's, and staying away from that place, until this case is resolved.
The judge in the case said prosecutors failed to demonstrate that Rosenthal presented a flight risk, in part, because he was formally put on notice that he was under investigation nearly three years ago, and never made any attempts to leave town. They contended as well, that he was a danger to the community. But the judge, noting Rosenthal had no prior arrests, said they failed to demonstrate that as well.
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