news-record.com

BURLINGTON — The owner of a tattoo shop faces criminal charges after police broke up what they're calling a fight club.

Burlington police said they arrested Lannie Wells Jones Jr., 27, on Thursday after a search of his business, Torture Chamber Tattoo, 260 W. Davis St.

Jones, who lives at 3850 Marys Grove Church Road in Mebane, was charged with assault inflicting serious injury, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and three counts of prohibited tattooing/piercing of an underage person without the consent of the parent. He was released on $25,000 bond.

Police said they received complaints that a local tattoo shop was hosting mixed martial arts fights that allowed people younger than 18 to take part.

Police said that during a Jan. 23 fight, a 16-year-old received injuries that required treatment at Alamance Regional Medical Center. Police did not specify the teen's injuries but said he was hospitalized overnight.

Assistant Police Chief Greg Seel of the Burlington Police Department said that more charges could follow from the investigation.

"One of the goals of getting this out to the public is to see if there are any more victims who may have more information," he said. "We've never had a documented case of (organized fighting) in Burlington."