Stormy Daniels’s lawyer says arrest ‘was a complete setup’

Porn actress Stormy Daniels was arrested at an Ohio strip club and is accused of letting patrons touch her in violation of a state law, her attorney said early Thursday.

While Daniels was performing Wednesday night at Sirens, a strip club in Columbus, some patrons touched her in a “non-sexual” way, her lawyer, Michael Avenatti, told The Associated Press.

An Ohio law known as the Community Defence Act prohibits anyone who isn’t a family member to touch a nude or semi-nude dancer.

Coverage of Stormy Daniels on Globalnews.ca:

1:03 Stormy Daniels arrested at Ohio strip club

• Stormy Daniels arrested at Ohio strip club
• Stormy Daniels’ lawyer says Michael Cohen’s lawyer admitted there are ‘Trump tapes’
• West Hollywood in California celebrates ‘Stormy Daniels Day’
• ‘A storm’s a-comin baby’: Stormy Daniels makes surprise guest appearance on SNL cold open
• Trump changes his story, admits knowing about Stormy Daniels payment
• Stormy Daniels slams Trump lawyer Michael Cohen, says truth will come out

Previous Video

Next Video

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, was expected to face a misdemeanour charge, Avenatti said.

She was released on bail before 6 a.m. Thursday.

“This was a complete set up,” he said. “It’s absurd that law enforcement resources are being spent to conduct a sting operation related to customers touching performers in a strip club in a non-sexual manner.”

READ MORE: Stormy Daniels to meet prosecutors in Michael Cohen investigation

Avenatti posted on Twitter on Thursday morning that Daniels will plead not guilty to three misdemeanour charges.

He also posted Daniels’ statement on Twitter early Thursday saying she apologized to her fans in Columbus, but she would not perform her previously scheduled Thursday night show.

A Columbus police spokeswoman didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment. A person who answered the phone at the strip club declined to comment.

WATCH: Sheriff’s office releases footage showing adult film star Stormy Daniels being booked

1:36 Sheriff’s office releases footage showing adult film star Stormy Daniels being booked

Daniels has said she had sex with President Donald Trump in 2006, when he was married, which Trump has denied. She’s suing Trump and his former longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen, and seeking to invalidate a nondisclosure agreement that she signed days before the 2016 presidential election.