DAVIS, Calif. -- Police raided a Jaycees 'sports night' and found a sex and gambling party that led to 22 arrests and shocked residents including the mayor who said he was 'grateful that we took away July 4 activities' from the civic organization.
The Yolo County sheriff's department said undercover officers discovered gambling, live sex acts, adult films, illegal alcohol sales and drugs and the auctioning of 'A Night with a Prostitute' during the Saturday night raid at a rural Jaycees' clubhouse.
Ken Vickers, a member of the Davis chapter for 16 years, said the party was not officially sanctioned by the Jaycees.
'It was just a regular stag party,' Vickers told United Press International. 'We've been having them twice a year for the past couple of years.'
Vickers, a past president, said the party 'was different from the others -- because of the live entertainment and because it got busted.'
'I was there, ' He said. 'We screwed up and we got busted.'
The 'Davis Jaycees Sports Night' was billed as a fund-raiser to send members to the national convention in June. More than 100 people paid $12.50 apiece, said Dennis Winger, spokesman for the sheriff.
He said oficers cited and released eight persons on misdemeanor charges and booked 14 others in the county jail on charges ranging from pandering and participating in illegal sex acts to drug use and gambling.
Sam Willits, executive vice president of the U.S. Jaycees in Tulsa, Okla., said the incident would prompt an investigation by the national headquarters.
'It amazes me,' Willits said. 'We don't condone any of that. They are subject to charter revocation. Essentially, they can't do anything that one way or the other harms the name of the Jaycees.'
'It's all pretty disappointing,' said Davis Mayor Bill Kopper. 'You would think that people who have been leaders in the community would try to conduct their social affairs in conformance with the law and expectations of the community.
'All I can say is I'm grateful that we took away the July 4 activities from the Jaycees. It would be a much greater embarrassment for us if they still ran the Fourth of July activities.'
