Dale Sparks showed little emotion as the judge read the verdict.

For more than a year, the Federal Heights City Council had been embroiled in scandal, with Sparks, the city's mayor, at the center.

Sparks worked as a doorman at a strip club, and was questioned by police after they raided the building.

In September 2006, citizens brought on a recall election, which he won.

The next month, a special prosecutor announced charges against him.

Sparks was found not guilty of complicity to violate the city's adult entertainment ordinance Thursday in Federal Heights Municipal Court.

"I can put it behind me, my family can put it behind us and 99 percent of the citizens of this city can put it behind us," Sparks said. "There will always be that faction of people who will be angry about this."

Mayor since 1999, Sparks had worked at the club, The Bare Essence, for a little more than a year, from April 2005 to 2006. During that time, investigators were tipped that the club was providing illegal lap dances to customers.

Dancers in Federal Heights must stay at least three feet from customers by law.

Following a four-month investigation into the club, The Bare Essence was raided in April 2006.

In addition to the complicity charge, Sparks was charged with conflict of interest and revealing the identity of an undercover detective to an employee at the club.

After his acquittal, Sparks, whose term expires this year, said the recall election and the trial amount to dirty politics by his political opponents.

"I'm out of office in four months," he said. "This whole thing took place with me not even having a full year left in office."

Sparks estimated the cost of the recall election and the trial at "well over $100,000," which is paid through the city's general funds.

"The taxpayers are the real losers here," he said.

coonsj@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5617