Richard Kowalczyk, the former owner of the Southern Nights nightclub in Orlando, has been sentenced to 14 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Kowalczyk faced a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in federal prison; he must also register as a sex offender.
Kowalczyk owned and managed Southern Nights, a popular nightclub along Bumby Avenue in Orlando. After charges were filed against him in 2025, he transferred ownership of the business and stepped away entirely from both Southern Nights and District Dive.
A co-defendant in the case, Eric Patrick, also pleaded guilty to a similar charge and was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Court records show that Kowalczyk and Patrick lived together at a home in Central Florida, which investigators later searched.
Details of the Investigation
According to the indictment, investigators traced years of text-message communication between Kowalczyk and Patrick. In those messages, officials said the two discussed a desire to have sexual relations with teenage boys, expressed interest in finding new teenage boys to pursue, and repeatedly exchanged sexual images of people they had met on online dating platforms. Court records indicate that some of these individuals were under 18 years old.
Investigators also said they uncovered conversations in which Kowalczyk discussed hands-on sexual encounters with minors and in which he received child sexual abuse material. Based on this evidence, law enforcement seized Kowalczyk’s cellphone while he was at an Orlando airport in 2023 and subsequently searched the Central Florida home he shared with Patrick.
Case Timeline
- 2023: Federal agents seize Kowalczyk’s cellphone at an Orlando airport and search the Central Florida home he shared with Patrick.
- 2025: Charges are filed against Kowalczyk. He transfers ownership of Southern Nights and District Dive and steps away from both businesses. He later agrees to plead guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor, a deal that carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years and requires him to register as a sex offender. Eric Patrick also pleads guilty to a similar charge.
- 2026: Kowalczyk is sentenced to 14 years in federal prison. Patrick is sentenced to 10 years in federal prison.
[UPDATE AUGUST 10, 2026]
The former owner of two Orlando nightclubs and his husband were sentenced to at least 10 years each in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempted coercion and enticement of a 15-year-old.
Husbands Richard Kowalczyck and Eric Patrick have been sentenced to 14 years and 10 years in federal prison, respectively, District Judge Carlos Mendoza announced Friday in federal court in Orlando. Each will serve 10 years of supervised release after their sentences.
At the time of their arrest, Kowalczyk owned Orlando nightspots Southern Nights, District Dive and Stiffy’s. He swiftly transferred his ownership over amid his indictment and has had no further involvement with the businesses.
