MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – The owner of a Myrtle Beach strip club listed as an alleged location where multiple child sex crime suspects reportedly molested two 4-year-old children has surrendered the business license for the club.
Myrtle Beach City Spokesperson Mark Kruea says the business license for Chez Joey was surrendered Tuesday morning. A letter sent from the City of Myrtle Beach to Ernest R. Hatmaker, Jr. in care of Hatmaker LLC d/b/a Chez Joey of Myrtle Beach, informed the club owner that the business license was revoked as of March 23 and the owner would have 15 days to file an appeal.
The letter states four reasons for the city’s revocation of the license, including:
- A license was mistakenly or improperly issued or issued contrary to law to Chez Joey of Myrtle Beach
- Chez Joey of Myrtle Beach obtained a license through a fraud, misrepresentation, a false or misleading statement, evasion or suppression of a material fact in the license application
- The business license applicant and former manager of Chez Joey of Myrtle Beach had been convicted of an offense under a law or ordinance regulating business, a crime involving dishonest conduct or moral turpitude, or an unlawful sale of merchandise or prohibited goods at the time the current business license was issued
- Chez Joey of Myrtle Beach has engaged in an unlawful activity or nuisance related to the business
The seven page letter lists numerous examples under each point including multiple criminal convictions of the club manager Anthony Strickland, a false sworn statement made by Strickland, notice issued by the Police Regulatory Unit that Chez Joey is a public nuisance, and the latest accusations that Chez Joey was the scene of a heinous crime involving the rape and continuous sexual assault of two 4-year-old children.
Kruea says the business license was placed inside an envelope and surrendered to city officials with no other documents.
