El Paso County settles lawsuit, permanently shuts down Jaguars

Update: The County Attorney's Office announced a settlement to its lawsuit against Jaguars. The business will permanently close.

"The owners of the property may choose to open a new business at that address," county officials explained in a news release. "If a new business opens, it must apply for a TABC license and not operate as a sexually oriented business (SOB). Any new business must close at 2:15 am."

The county says any new business would also not be allowed to use the word "strip" in its advertizing.

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- The El Paso County Attorney's Office is taking steps to shut down the Jaguars Gold Club (Jaguars), located at 11377 Gateway West Boulevard. The County Attorney's Office got a Temporary Restraining Order against the club, temporarily shutting down the business, as it looks to take further legal actions. The City of El Paso also filed a lawsuit against Jaguars Thursday.

The County Attorney's Office accuses Jaguars of violating the City's Sexually Oriented Business Ordinance. City officials claims Jaguars has violated the ordinance 25 times.

"These alleged violations include issues such as failure to have a business license, unauthorized sale of beer/alcohol, prostitution, illicit drug use, drug trafficking, sexual assault, sexual exploitation and more," city officials wrote in a news release Friday.

"[Thursday] night, investigators from the El Paso County Attorney's Office with the help of partners from the Texas Anti-Gang Center, including officers from the El Paso Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations and Office of the Inspector General of Texas served the establishment with a Temporary Restraining Order that directs the business to remain closed until March 5, 2024," the County Attorney's Office stated Friday. "They served the business and at least two managers with a closure order."

County officials say that law enforcement has received 750 calls about Jaguars from January 2018 to 2023.

The county listed the alleged violations. ABC-7 has included those below:

• Discharge of a firearm: 13 violations.
• Delivery, possession, or use of a controlled substance: 57 violations.
• Prostitution/promotion of prostitution: 13 violations.
• Aggravated assault: 22 violations.
• Disorderly conduct: 52 violations.
• Criminal trespass: 1 violation.
• Criminal mischief: 1 violation.
• Sale or storage of beer or alcohol without a permit or license: 22 violations.
• Employee under 21 at sexually oriented business: 1 violation.
• Violation of City of El Paso’s Sexually Oriented Business ordinance: at least 26 violations.
• At least sixteen (16) of the violations noted also involved a gun.
• At least twelve (12) violations involved a criminal street gang member.