This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

It started with a tip from a confidential informant. Before Syracuse police were done, half a dozen people were behind bars for promoting, participating in and watching an illegal live sex show.

Syracuse Police Chief Garret Atkin said the tip came into his detectives on Wednesday, stating that the illicit event was planned for just after midnight inside the Syracuse 6 Movie Theater at 2428 West 1700 South.

A search warrant was obtained and early Thursday morning Syracuse officers, members of the Davis Metro SWAT team and Davis Metro Narcotics Strike Force raided the theater.

"Three females and one male were observed engaging in sexual acts inside," Atkin stated.

The women, ages 21 to 22 — two of them from Salt Lake City and the third from West Valley City — were booked into the Davis County jail on suspicion of misdemeanor counts of sexual solicitation and drug and drug paraphernalia possession.

The alleged male participant, a 33-year-old Centerville resident, was booked on suspicion of sexual solicitation, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The alleged organizer of the show was a 36-year-old Bountiful man, also arrested during the raid. He was booked into jail on suspicion of distributing pornographic material and exploiting prostitution.

Atkin stated that the man worked for a company contracted to clean the theater complex and allegedly had posted Internet advertisements via Craigslist seeking women and men to engage in sexual acts.

A 43-year-old Midvale resident, found in the audience, also was arrested and booked on suspicion of distributing pornographic material and exploiting prostitution.

Atkin emphasized that the management of the Syracuse 6 Movie Theater had no knowledge of the crime and was fully cooperative with the investigation.

Twitter: @remims