Sex Toy Shop Owner Faced Jail Time, $420K In Fines, But The Court Battle Is Over

DEKALB COUNTY, GA — The owner of a now-closed sex toy shop in Brookhaven was facing $420,000 in fines and jail time for multiple contempt of court citations, but a DeKalb County judge ruled that he doesn't have to fulfill either penalty, reported the Atlanta-Journal Constitution.

Stardust was ordered to close when Brookhaven adopted a new law in 2013 that made it illegal to operate a “sexually oriented business” near a similar business or a residential district, reported the AJC. Michael Morrison, the owner, was initially sentenced to six months in jail and ordered to pay $420,000 in fines by DeKalb Superior Court Judge Mark Anthony Scott, reported the AJC.

According to a news release shared by the City of Brookhaven in May of 2020, the litigation between the City and Stardust has been ongoing since 2014 in state and federal ourt. City officials said in the release that the sex shop could hurt the redevelopment of the Buford Highway Cooridor.

Mayor John Ernst couldn’t be immediately reached for comment.