Baristas at another Grab-N-Go espresso stand charged with indecent exposure

By Diana Hefley and Debra Smith
Herald Writers

EVERETT -- Five women recently accused of engaging in prostitution at an Everett bikini espresso stand are not Bill Wheeler's first Grab-N-Go baristas to be in trouble with the law.

Two baristas were charged earlier this month with indecent exposure outside the Grab-N-Go Espresso stand at 11323 Highway 99, in a county area south of Everett. The women are accused of showing customers more skin than permitted under Snohomish County's ordinance, according to court documents.

Five baristas at Wheeler's stand at 8015 Broadway in Everett were charged Wednesday with multiple counts of prostitution and violating the city's adult-entertainment ordinance following a two-month undercover police investigation.

Those baristas, whose ages range from 18 to 24, are accused of stripping off their undergarments and flashing customers. Everett police also reported witnessing the women charge customers up to $80 to touch their exposed private parts.

Wheeler, who owns at least four stands around the county, said the charges against the baristas at his stand in the city were made up to push through Everett City Council's agenda to ban bikini espresso huts.

He also called the earlier charges against two baristas at his other stand bogus. The sheriff's office is on a witch hunt, Wheeler said.

"There was nothing indecent on either of them," he said.

The first incident was reported July 10 by a driver passing by the stand across from the Wal-Mart on Highway 99. She told Snohomish County sheriff's deputies a barista in pasties and a thong was shaking her exposed buttocks toward the highway.

The witness told police she isn't a prude, but the barista's behavior and clothing were offensive.The deputy questioned the barista, who at the time was wearing pasties and leather-type pants that exposed her buttocks from the waist down. She denied shaking her backside at the highway.

The Snohomish woman, 26, pleaded not guilty to the charge Thursday in Everett District Court.Another barista, 20, also denied an allegation of indecent exposure. That charge was made after a man complained to deputies July 31 that he hadn't received 75 cents owed to him after paying for his coffee and giving the barista a $2 tip.

He told police it was his third visit to the stand. Each time he hadn't received his change.This time when he asked for the change, the barista insisted that her boss didn't provide coins to give to the customers, a deputy wrote. The man told deputies the barista took 50 cents out of her tip jar and threw it at him, causing him to drop his coffee, court papers said.The man told police he visited the stand just to see the baristas but was upset that they would automatically keep his change even after he gave them a $2 tip, according to the police report.

He told the deputy the barista's nipples could be seen through her pasties. The man told the deputy it was the first time he'd seen that much of a barista at the stand, court papers said.The Everett woman was arrested and booked into jail. She bailed out and later pleaded not guilty to the charge.Wheeler said a "rogue deputy" harassed the women by asking them to stand up, turn around and bend over so he could measure if their clothing met decency standards.

He also said the woman who complained on July 10 harassed the barista by driving up and down the street. He said the barista reported the harassment to police but they ignored her."I know for a fact these two girls aren't guilty of anything, and when you get to court you will find that out," he said.Wheeler said nothing illegal involving the baristas has ever happened at his espresso stands.His baristas sign an agreement guaranteeing that they will not behave inappropriately, he said.Wheeler called The Herald's coverage of complaints about his stands hypocritical and one-sided.

More attention should be focused on real problems such as drunken drivers, murderers and "hookers walking down Evergreen Way," he said.


Reader's Comments:

The first real question is why wasn't the July 10th complaint about these stands an issue? Why only 3 months later after and a second complaint did this warrant attention? This goes for all news outlets not just the Herald.

If the Herald wanted to make the community a better place like Mr. Pattison has stated in an earlier post in this article the July 10th complaint would have made an appearance in the paper BEFORE September.

Question 2 - Why did the Herald not address the issue of police misconduct? If this was researched by the reporters and found to be false it should be stated. All issues of police misconduct should be taken seriously no matter who makes the complaint, or why to suggest otherwise is a free pass for an abuse of power.

Question 3 - Mr. Pattison states they spoke to neighbors of the business, law enforcement, and the owner, in one of articles they even spoke to community members, but when asked if they interviewed or spoke to patrons he remained silent, why? It would seem that patrons have a right to an opinion as random people on the street.

Question 4 - Why was this article run for 3 days, when the fire at another stand over a year ago was only run once. Arson is felony, these crimes a misdemeanors, if not to inflame public opinion and increase sales it seems in order to "better serve the community" the other crime should receive as much attention if not more.

Question 5 - The question has been asked online, Was the undercover sting in the first article was a good use of police time?, Does city council have nothing better to focus on? Mr. Pattison says in a reply that this was not the only thing his paper has reported on and cites the extreme county budgets cuts as one, but makes no mention or attempt to address the issues of public concern that in these times money would better spent elsewhere, he would rather attack the people then make sure their voices are heard.

SOURCE: http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20090926/NEWS01/709269873/0/BIZ

NOTE:

Herald newspaper had reported more than 5 stories for the past months regarding the baristas of Grab-N-Go in Everett, Washington. The news headlines were:

• Crowd voices outrage over bikini barista, but some come out in support 10/7/09
• Bikini baristas are now on one county councilman's radar 10/5/09
• 5 baristas’ trials set for December 10/3/09
• Everett tightens laws for baristas 10/2/09
• Former baristas claim boss told them to wear pasties 10/1/09
• Prostitution accusations untrue, bikini coffee stand's owner says 9/25/09
• Five Everett bikini baristas charged with prostitution 9/24/09
• Everett's rules would target bikini baristas' scant attire 9/16/09

Their reports were mostly about the alleged indecent exposure of the baristas and the complaints of some people. The news above had run for 3 days in their website. The news included interviews with the police, with the complainants, with the owner and with the baristas.

On the side of this site is a quiz entitled "Ethical Trojan on News Online." Click on the quiz and answer the questions. Provide your name when answering the quiz.

PARTICIPANTS PLEASE READ THIS:
There are key correction choices on the "Ethical Trojan on News Online" quiz. In the last item (#5) of the quiz, the choices should be:

• News Sensationalism
• Only distributes valid information
• Biased/One-sided Reporting
• Observe the laws of one's country

In the key correction choices, the right answer is still in the correct placement. So in the last item of the quiz, bear these key correction choices to be able to get the right answer. Thank you and sorry for the inconvenience.


You can also click this link to take the quiz. Leave a comment on the comment box of this post after answering the quiz to let us know how you did. Any reaction will be greatly appreciated.

http://www.quizyourfriends.com/take-quiz.php?id=0910141442109159&a=1&

Thank You :)

QUIZ QUESTIONS:

1. What was the news all about?

Espresso served by the baristas
Prostitution at an Everett bikini espresso stand
Policemen's way of getting the accused
One-sided reporting of the HeraldNet

2. When was the first incident reported?
June 10
July 10
August 10
September 10

3. How many times did the event happened?
1
3
5
7

4. How many baristas were recently accused of prostitution at Grab-N-Go espresso?
8
7
6
5

5. What internet code of ethics they violated most?
Observes the laws of one’s country
Respects honour and dignity of people. Insulting is eliminated
Only distributes valid information
Seeks the purity of the native language

SCOREBOARD
Ethical Trojan on News Online


1 JOHN REY L. ATIENZA 100
2 april celis 100
3 alyssaborromeo 100
4 Joren G. Paulino 100
5 jessica davila 80
6 Reynald 80
7 Maria Nerizza Acero 80
8 TOLENTINO, J. K. R. 80