By Michael D. Clark
The Cincinnati Enquirer

WEST CHESTER TWP. - Another major hotel has dropped in-room adult movie offerings to guests, making it at least the fourth Tristate hotel to do so during the last year.

The Cincinnati Marriott North in West Chester is now the second local hotel in the Marriott chain to bow to law enforcement officials - in this case the Butler County Prosecutor's Office - who warned that owners might face obscenity charges unless they discontinued the pay-per-view adult entertainment.

In July, the Cincinnati Marriott Northeast, in Warren County's Deerfield Township, reacted similarly when that county's prosecutor threatened to file obscenity charges. Soon after, two Newport hotels - the Travelodge and Comfort Suites - followed suit after the prosecutor in Campbell County told owners they would face criminal charges if they didn't remove their adult movie fare.

In each case, officials from one of the nation's most aggressive anti-pornography groups - the Sharonville-based Citizens for Community Values - had supporters check into the hotels and videotape the movies offered to adult guests, forwarding them to local prosecutors and urging action.

Brian Perkins, general manager of the West Chester Marriott, confirmed that adult movies offered since the hotel opened have been discontinued.

Perkins declined to comment further, deferring to attorney William O'Brien for the local Marriott franchises.

O'Brien characterized meetings with representatives of Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper as discussions that made it clear there might be "criminal and civil ramifications" if the hotel's movies were not withdrawn.

"We understand there have been citizens who have been pretty vocal on this issue," said O'Brien.

Piper said his office's action was prompted by a complaint about the hotel's in-room adult entertainment.

"We had a film that was complained about . ... We were concerned about the content in the film. We had a couple of meetings with (Marriott officials)," said Piper. "They were very cooperative."

CCV President Phil Burress said a supporter of the group had videotaped an adult movie in the hotel, and CCV officials had forwarded a copy to Piper's office in December.

E-mail mclark@enquirer.com