Marlena Pavlos-Hackney, owner of Marlena's Bistro and Pizzeria in the city of Holland, is believed to be the first restaurant owner in the state to be arrested for non-compliance with COVID orders.
Pavlos-Hackney now faces up to 93 days in jail.
“Pavlos-Hackney, arrested shortly before 6 a.m. Friday during a traffic stop in Ottawa County, will remain in jail until the state is assured her restaurant is closed down and she pays $7,500, Ingham County Circuit Judge Rosemarie Aquilina said during a raucous Friday court hearing.
"We’re in the midst of a pandemic," Aquilina said. "You have selfishly not followed the orders. You’ve not followed them for your own financial gain and apparently for the publicity that comes with it.””
A county circuit court judge who has never missed a paycheck has the audacity to call a small business owner “selfish” for wanting to open her business after one year.
Earlier this month, Pavlos-Hackney was held in contempt of court for continuing to operate her business after the state revoked her license for failing to comply with COVID rules including masks, social distancing & capacity dictates.
Last week, before her arrest, Pavlos-Hackney told WOOD-TV, “we don’t want this country to be a communist regime that’s going to dictate what we can do and what we cannot do…I’m not afraid if I have to go to jail, because I fight for freedom.”
On Saturday, supporters demonstrated against the arrest of Pavlos-Hackney outside her restaurant.