Charges dismissed against Stormy Daniels hours after arrest at Ohio strip club

Charges made against Stormy Daniels in her early morning arrest on Thursday were dismissed later in the afternoon, according to her lawyer Michael Avenatti.

Avenatti wrote on Twitter that the charges made against Daniels “have been dismissed in their entirety,” sharing a copy of the motion. 

I am pleased to report that the charges against my client @stormydaniels have been dismissed in their entirety (below motion was just granted). I want to thank Joe Gibson & his colleagues at the prosecutors ofc for their professionalism starting with our first call early this am. pic.twitter.com/xHPSWsyqM2

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 12, 2018

Daniels, an adult-film star, was arrested during a performance at a Columbus, Ohio, strip club.

She was originally charged on three counts of illegally touching a patron.

A 2007 Ohio law states that an employee who regularly appears nude or seminude at a sexually oriented business is not allowed to touch anyone not related to them while nude or seminude. 

#Breaking: Stormy Daniels’ mug shot released to @morningdosetv pic.twitter.com/uoSvnVkY6x

— Shane Allen (@shanenews) July 12, 2018

The Columbus Police Department said in a statement that Daniels was one of three women arrested at the club.

The arrests were reportedly made as part of a long-term investigation into allegations of human trafficking, prostitution and other “vice related” violations, police said.

Columbus Police Makes 3 Arrests at Adult Entertainment Club
As part of a long-term investigation into allegations of human trafficking,
prostitution, & other vice related violations, CPD arrested 3 individuals from Club Sirens at 6190 Cleveland Ave., early this morning, 7/12/18. pic.twitter.com/UJQzJ3iI6c

— Columbus Ohio Police (@ColumbusPolice) July 12, 2018

Daniels, whose legal name is Stephanie Clifford, was charged after allegedly touching three different undercover vice detectives at the Sirens Gentlemen’s Club.

CNN affiliate WSYX obtained the probable cause affidavit for Daniels’s arrest which alleged that she removed her top and forced patrons’ face into her chest. 

“The officers also observed Ms. Clifford fondling the breasts of female patrons,” Franklin County Municipal Court records show.

Avenatti thanked Columbus deputy chief prosecutor Joseph Gibson for dismissing the charges and praised their professionalism.

He previously blasted the arrest as “a setup” that was “political motivated.”

Just rcvd word that my client @StormyDaniels was arrested in Columbus Ohio whole performing the same act she has performed across the nation at nearly a hundred strip clubs. This was a setup & politically motivated. It reeks of desperation. We will fight all bogus charges. #Basta

— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) July 12, 2018

Daniels has been performing at strip clubs across the country, Avenatti also noted.

She made headlines earlier this year when news broke that she had allegedly had a sexual encounter with President Trump in 2006. The president has denied the affair.

Trump’s longtime former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, arranged a nondisclosure agreement shortly before the 2016 presidential election and paid Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about the alleged sexual encounter. 

Trump admitted in May that he reimbursed Cohen for the payment, although he said at the time he did not know what it was for.

Daniels later filed lawsuits against both Cohen and Trump for defamation.

Updated at 1:17 p.m.