Norwalk Office Cafe Closed After Drug Raid: Police

Norwalk Police executed a raid at the Office Cafe strip club and arrested 11 people on narcotics and prostitution charges.

A year long investigation culminated in a raid on Dec. 1 at the 201 Liberty Square bar. Police got dozens of complaints and tips of narcotics trafficking and prostitution occurring inside the building.

Undercover officers purchased large amounts of cocaine, according to police.

Manager/bartender Leigha Rybnick, 41, of Stamford sold cocaine to officers on nine separate occasions, police allege. Additional cocaine, marijuana and illegally-possessed prescription pills were recovered at her residence.

Rybnick was arrested during a car stop. Additional cocaine and cash were seized, police said. She was held on $250,000 bail on nine sale warrants.

Liquor and documents were seized during the cafe raid along with over $16,000, which officers believe to be ill-gotten gains of the crimes investigated.

Police applied and received a nuisance abatement, which has closed the establishment.

Several suspects are still wanted on outstanding warrants and the investigation is ongoing.

More from police:

• Gene Morell, 60 of 38 Ingleside Av. Norwalk, the owner of the LLC Office café was arrested at scene. He was charged with five counts of permitting and promoting prostitution within the Officecafé by his employees.
• Dylan Pascale, 28 of 34 Benedict St. an employee/bouncer of the Office café was charged withtwo counts of promoting and permitting prostitution within the Office café

• Briana Hickey, 21 of 9 Woodacre Rd. Norwalk, a bartender at the Office café was charged twocounts of sale of narcotics conspiracy and two counts of possession of narcotics. These transactions also occurred within the Office café.
• Emily Soto, 23 of 340 Putnam St. Bridgeport, an “exotic dancer employee” of the Office café was charged with two counts of prostitution while acting as an employee of the café. When taken into custody, a bag of cocaine was found in her purse and she was additionally charged with possession of narcotics.

• Barbara Scharoun, 27 of 97 Woodward Av. Norwalk, an “exotic dancer employee” of the Office café was found to have an outstanding failure to appear warrant.
• Ashley Ouelett, 26 of 1075 Hancock Av. Bridgeport, an “exotic dancer employee” of the Office café was arrested on three counts of prostitution and one count of sale and possession of narcotics conspiracy.

• Cassandra Bryan, 35 of 245 South 3rd Av. Mount Vernon NY, an “exotic dancer employee” of the Office café was arrested on five counts of prostitution and one count of sale and possession of marijuana.
• George Reyes, 30 of 12 Weed Av. Norwalk, a favored patron of the establishment was charged with one count of sale and possession of marijuana.
• William Oberdoster, 44 of 12 Weed Av. Norwalk, a favored patron of the establishment was charged with one count of sale of narcotics and sale of narcotics conspiracy.
• James Gibson, 29 of 903 East Main St. Stratford was charged with possession of narcotics and possession of marijuana. Gibson was found to be in possession of cocaine and marijuana when officers entered the bar yesterday.