Dick Drost Currently Operates a Nudist Camp in California APnv 05/27 1328 Drost Suit LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) -- A California nudist camp operator who once owned the Naked City nudist resort near Roselawn has filed a $1 billion lawsuit against the state of Indiana and a $50 million suit against Newton County. The suit was filed in U.S. District Court by Dick Drost and alleges 49 violations of civil rights, obstruction of justice, racketeering influence and corrupt organization, bribery and sexual assault laws. The list of defendants includes Newton County Prosecutor R. Steven Ryan; County Commissioners Peter Bisbis and Michael Williamson; former Newton Circuit Court Judge Newell Lamb; former Newton Superior Court Judge Mark Bauer; The Journal and Courier newspaper in Lafayette; two local ministers, and the operators of rival nudist resort, the Ponderosa Sun Club. Drost, 50, currently lives in Homeland, Calif., in Riverside County, where he operates Naked City L.A. Drost, formerly of Chicago, owned and operated the former Naked City in northern Newton County from 1968 to 1986. In 1985, he was charged with molesting a 13-year-old girl, as well as showing obscene films and materials to minors. On March 24, 1986, Drost agreed to plead guilty to 10 sex-related misdemeanors and was given a 10-year suspended sentence. Under the agreement, Drost also was to stay out of Indiana for 10 years. "This prosecution was nothing more than enforcing a particular fundamentalist Christian point of view, thereby attempting to establish a religion," Drost's attorney, Douglas Palaschak, said Tuesday. "We are alleging a multitude of civil rights violations," Palaschak said. John Casey, one of the defendants and an attorney for Newton County, said the suit, which was filed last week, is "totally unfounded and was filed with no other intent than to harass the county and county officials." Casey added that there may be "more motivation than pure harassment, but what it is, I don't know." He said Drost's ability to remain out of jail despite several sex-related convictions "makes him think he can do whatever he wants with total immunity." "This man should be in jail. Instead, he's in California," Casey continued. "He was let off by a technicality in this state, and had that not occurred, he would not be so flippant." Drost's guilty plea to obscenity charges in 1982 was overturned on appeal because the sentencing judge had failed to tell Drost that his sentence could be enhanced or reduced by aggravating or mitigating circumstances. The Indiana Supreme Court has since ruled that a single flaw no longer is automatic grounds for overturning a conviction on a guilty plea. The former Naked City resort in Newton County continues to operate as a nudist resort, the Adam and Eve Club. "We want to get back into Naked City -- absolutely," Palaschak said. The attorney declined to comment on county officials' allegations that Drost is violating the terms of his court agreement by having a hand in the operations of the Adam and Eve Club.
CALIFORNIA NUDIST CAMP OPERATOR ARRESTED FOR EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN Dick Drost, former owner of a Roselawn, Illinois nudist camp called Naked City (previously known as Zoro Nudist Camp), promoter of Mr. and Miss Nude Teeny Bopper Universe Pageants," and proprietor of Naked City West in Southern California was booked on 5 felony and 4 misdemeanors charges on April 7, 1990 in Riverside, California. Information from Press Enterprise and other sources. California Nudist Camp Operator Arrested for Exploitation of Children Dick Drost, former owner of a Roselawn, Illinois nudist camp called Naked City (previously known as Zoro Nudist Camp), promoter of Mr. and Miss Nude Teeny Bopper Universe Pageants," and proprietor of Naked City West in Southern California was booked on 5 felony and 4 misdemeanors charges on April 7, 1990 in Riverside, California. Guilty Plea in Sex Case May Bring Year Term for Nudist Owner Embattled nudist resort owner Richard Drost yesterday pleaded guilty to one sex charge after authorities agreed to drop the other 28 charges filed against him years ago. |