New Jersey Gym Owner Who Stayed Open During COVID-19 Lockdowns Cleared Of All Criminal Charges

Ian Smith, the owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, New Jersey, has been formally cleared of all charges after he kept his business open despite COVID-19 lockdown orders imposed by New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy in 2020.

Smith, along with co-owner Frank Trumbetti were slapped with more than 80 summonses and charged with violating a governor’s orders, operating without a mercantile license, creating a public nuisance, and disturbing the peace, Lehigh Valley Live reported.

Many of the charges carried a maximum sentence of six months in jail, according to John McCann, an attorney for Smith.

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The gym had been ordered to pay more than $165,000 in fines for violating emergency public health orders issued by Murphy and state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli.

Smith and Trumbetti were facing both state and municipal charges. Now that the municipal charges have been dismissed, McCann is now trying to determine a way to have the state-imposed fines reduced.

“When you look at this, it didn’t make a lot of sense at the time,” McCann said. “It kind of looked like they were throwing everything they could at these guys.”

Smith took to X to celebrate his victory nearly four years after the incident.

“4 years ago today, we reopened Atilis Gym in direct violation of an unconstitutional order by Governor Philip Murphy to close small businesses in New Jersey,” Smith wrote.

“The support we received locally, nationally, and internationally for our stand is something I will be forever grateful for. With that being said, I am thrilled to announce that we have achieved a major victory in the long, hard fight against the State,” the post continued.

“ALL OF THE 80+ municipal citations of violations of a governor’s order, public nuisance, disturbing the peace, and operating without a license against us have been dropped by the courts WITH prejudice. This means the State has NO ability to revist or refile these charges.”

Smith concluded his post by vowing to use his victory to “push back and bring justice to the treasonous actions of Phil Murphy and his lackies.”

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