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Knights Inn Closed; City Alleges Drug Sales And Prostitution

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Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Columbus' Knights Inn on East Dublin Granville Road was shut down Friday by the city for drug and prostitution sales, and more than 700 calls for help to the police over the last two years.

Two front desk employees and the manager at the inn talked to NBC4 Friday.

“This is a great place to work! These owners did everything in their power to kick the drug dealers and prostitutes out,” said Tom Koeppel. “There was talk we weren't checking people's IDs. I Xeroxed every ID on the back of the registration cards."

"We can be able to tell the person who checks in is going to do drug dealing or what they are going to do, it is hard to figure out when someone checks in," said Manager Vishnu Patel.


Columbus undercover police officers made eight heroin and marijuana buys from December 2013 to last month. In addition, the Assistant City Prosecutor Bill Sperlazza said eight other undercover officers made prostitution stings on the inn's property over the last two years.

Early Thursday morning, a female undercover detective was allegedly solicited for sex by an inn employee in exchange for reduced room price. That employee, Ashok Nowlay, was charged with a first-degree misdemeanor charge of soliciting prostitution.

“What the night auditor did was wrong to blame the ownership that doesn't happen anywhere,” said Koeppel.

NBC4 asked the Nowlay about the accusation of soliciting sex.

“The lady came and asked for a room for $34. I said, 'We don't have a room for $34.' She said, 'Can I bring somebody and they pay for the room?' and I said, 'I don't mind.' When she came back, I asked for her ID. She said, 'I don't have an ID.' I said, 'Sorry, we can't give you the room.'"

NBC4: “They are alleging you asked her for sex?”

Nowlay: “No sir.”

The remaining guests at the inn were removed by 11 a.m. Friday. Koeppel said he is a Vietnam veteran who has lived at the motel for years.

"I'm going into a homeless shelter," he said. "I have worked here for eight years. I have no place to go and no money to go there."

One woman said she was drawn to this latest closing because of here concern over the homeless.

"I am not sure anyone realizes there is an entire community of homeless people living in motels."

Folks from the city and maryhaven were both on site trying to find shelter for those now without one,” said Debbie Upcroft.


Fewer than a dozen guests were at the inn by 9 a.m. Friday. The city provided a COTA bus for any guest who needed a warm place to stay. City services and Maryhaven offered to help resettle any guests without a place to stay.

The general manager of the inn Vishnu Patel and owner MMM Hospitality, Ltd. will have to appear in a Franklin County Environmental Court on November 26, where Judge Dan Hawkins will decide if the inn remains closed and if so, for how long.

Sperlazza said the city is putting law-breaking hotel owners on notice.

"I hope that all the hotel owners understand that half-hearted efforts at keeping the criminal element out of your hotel, those days are over. If they continue to allowed criminals in their hotels, we will pursue them within the means of the law and shut them down," he said.