Former Everett bikini barista on path to avoid criminal charges

Published 11:05 pm Thursday, March 4, 2010

EVERETT — A former Everett bikini barista accused of selling sex at a Grab-n-Go espresso stand vowed Thursday morning to stay out of trouble so she can avoid spending time behind bars.

City prosecutors agreed to stay action in the woman’s case for two years. In return, the Kirkland woman, 21, must not commit any new crimes or violate the city’s adult entertainment ordinance.

If she complies with those terms, the city will dismiss two misdemeanor charges against the woman, including operating without an adult entertainment license and violating the standards of conduct of the ordinance.

As part of the agreement, city prosecutors on Thursday dropped two prostitution charges against the woman.

Everett Municipal Court Judge Timothy O’Dell warned the woman to toe the line or she’d be brought back into court and likely found guilty of the adult-entertainment violations.

“I will impose jail time if you don’t follow through,” O’Dell said.

The woman also agreed that she would testify against four other baristas also charged with prostitution and violating city ordinances. So far, only one barista has indicated that she plans to take her case to trial.

The others are expected to accept deals similar to the one offered the Kirkland woman. All of them are due back in court later this month.

City deputy prosecutor Leslie Tidball said it isn’t uncommon to offer such agreements to people who don’t have any previous criminal history.

“We like to give folks an opportunity to be successful and maintain a clean record — at the same time, we want to put a stop to the conduct affecting the public,” she said.

The woman’s attorney Brian Ashbach of Marysville said he was confident that his client would have been acquitted of the prostitution charges. The other charges would have been more difficult to defend, he said.

The five baristas were charged after an investigation into complaints of lewd behavior at the stand. Everett detectives reported that the women were exposing their genitals and charging customers up to $80 to touch the baristas’ exposed breasts and buttocks.

News of the investigation and criminal charges against the baristas made national headlines. Pictures of the women, including explicit photographs taken during the police investigation, hit cyberspace.

O’Dell on Thursday told the Kirkland woman he didn’t need to lecture her. All the attention the case has drawn was enough, he said.

“Hopefully, I won’t see you again,” O’Dell said.

Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463, hefley@heraldnet.com.