CAMERON COUNTY - It's a place teens aren't allowed to go - much less work, but a Valley mom says her 16-year-old daughter managed to make it in. She says her teen was working at Jaguars Gold Club just outside Harlingen.
CHANNEL 5 NEWS spent the past two months looking into what's going on at Jaguars. The establishment is not licensed by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. It's a BYOB bar which basically means 'anything goes'.
Customers come for a good time, to escape and to see girls. The mother who contacted us says her teen came to make money. "She told me that she needed money because I wouldn't give her any money," she explained. Initially, she thought her 16-year-old was doing drugs. She started asking questions and concluded her daughter admitted was working at the nightclub. She's not happy about the revelation. "I was embarrassed. I was ashamed. I couldn't believe my daughter would stoop to that level - to show off her body like that, it's embarrassing."
CHANNEL 5 NEWS started investigating Jaguars Gold Club before the mother came forward. She was the third person to contact us and complain about the club.
CHANNEL 5 NEWS staffers visited Jaguars six times with our hidden cameras. Some of what we saw was disturbing: used condoms in the bathroom, girls begging us to go into back rooms for 'more'.
The dancers appeared to be 'of age', but we spotted wait staff who looked young. The mother who reached out to us says, "I'm not too sure what the legal age is, but come on. 16, 17, 18. Even if you're 20 or 21, that's not right. That's not right."
Lt. Mario Villarreal from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission says the law is quite clear. "The way I read and interpret that statute, no one under 18 can be employed in any capacity in a sexually oriented commercial activity. No cook, no bouncer, no doorman, no maintenance (worker)." Villarreal says Jaguar's allows customers to bring their own beer.
That means under state law dancers can take off everything. "The TABC will not issue a license or a permit to an all nude establishment." Villarreal says since Jaguars doesn't have a permit enforcing the law can be challenging. "We more than likely have to look at getting permission to enter certain parts of the premise. Worst case scenario would be we would have to get warrants," he explained.
Villarreal says his agents were at Jaguar's last may. They caught three people selling booze in the parking lot. "When clientele ran out of alcoholic beverages or arrived empty-handed, they were offered an opportunity to purchase beverages in the parking lot and enter the location."
Waitresses offered undercover CHANNEL 5 NEWS staffers margaritas during our recent visits.
Villarreal reviewed our undercover video. We showed him an instance where a dancer was at the table next to us. She sat on the customers lap for awhile, and then both of them disappeared.
We asked Villarreal what can happen at the stage. "Well legally, what's supposed to happen is the client can stand there - and watch." As for whether touching is allowed, he concluded, "no touching any part of the genitalia or breasts" is allowed.
Villarreal says the TABC will work with the Cameron County Sheriff's Office and the district attorney to investigate. "If anything, there seems to be a clear violation for public lewdness," Villarreal told us.
CHANNEL 5 NEWS tried to talk to Jaguars management. We yelled across the parking lot at a manager: "We've had some reports that you guys are using underage dancers who are under the legal age." The worker walked into the store. We yelled again, "Can you get me contact information for your owner?" We waited until workers unlocked the front door and went inside. The follow is a transcript of what transpired.
Manager: "What's up guys?"
Williams: "I just want to know - can we get in touch with your owner - the owner of the company?"
Manager: "sure."
Williams: :"Is that possible."
Manager: "Got to take that outside."
Jordan: "Okay. can you take me out? Do not lock me in here."
The manager promised a follow-up phone call. We haven't received one. We asked the manager if he had anything to say about his employees.
Williams: "Do you do age checks, background checks?"
Manager: "We get IDs on everybody we employ."
He offered to let us in for 20 bucks. We politely declined.
State and local authorities continue investigating. The TABC tells us ultimately the employer -- not the employees -- would be liable for violating Texas law regarding age of employees.
Meanwhile, the mother whose daughter claimed she worked at Jaguars is trying to move on. "She's a very smart girl. She's beautiful. She's very smart, and she has it in her to do more with herself." She says her daughter no longer works at the nightclub. Her child ended up in juvenile detention for an unrelated crime. "We pray for her a lot, and if this is what it takes for her to fall on her face and get down on her knees, so be it." She hopes for healing not just for her family but for everyone who has to pay the price for dirty dancing.
