After losing appeal, Heidi Fleiss calls county’s rules for pet birds ‘archaic’

Former “Hollywood Madam” Heidi Fleiss is criticizing local leaders after a Clark County hearing officer upheld two citations alleging she violated a county ordinance by allowing her pet birds to fly freely.

“This ordinance is old,” Fleiss said Wednesday. “Flying is essential for birds. It’s not optional. It’s archaic, old thinking and it’s so wrong.”

Fleiss’ face was one of the most recognizable in America in the 1990s after she was accused of running a Los Angeles prostitution ring that catered to rich and famous clients. In February, she closed on a home on East Eldorado Lane near Sunset Park.

Noise complaint

Fleiss, 60, was notified by the county in March that a neighbor had submitted a noise complaint related to her property. According to county records, Shauna Cordova submitted more than a dozen photos and nearly a dozen videos of Fleiss’ birds to the county. Efforts to reach Cordova for comment were unsuccessful.

Fleiss was later cited for keeping birds that “have the inherent ability to fly and are not, at all times, confined within a suitable outbuilding, coop, or enclosed runway,” a violation of the county’s code. She formally requested an appeal hearing on April 10, records show.

The county also received a complaint about free-roaming macaws within a “bird strike area,” according to a Clark County spokeswoman. The home is less than 3 miles from Harry Reid International Airport.

Fleiss said the home’s previous owner kept birds there. The property’s backyard is a lush area with palm trees, posh desert landscaping and plenty of cactus plants. Fleiss, who owns more than two dozen exotic birds, had planned on moving to Las Vegas from Pahrump, where she has lived since 2009.

She said she is now reconsidering those plans.

Longtime bird-lover

In March, Fleiss described to a reporter how she became involved with exotic birds.

“When I moved to Pahrump, I happened to move next door to a former madam who used to run the exotic bird program at the Tropicana hotel,” Fleiss said. “She had a bird named Dalton in a cage, and I asked when was the last time that Dalton had been out of that cage. She said it had been about 25 years. Right then, I decided I didn’t care about rich people having sex. I knew I had something else to do with my life.”

During the 1990s, Fleiss was a tabloid fixture in the United States and around the world. She was well known for facilitating sex for Hollywood stars. Actor Charlie Sheen testified against Fleiss, saying he was a client.

In the end, Fleiss would serve less than two years in a federal prison for tax evasion. (Her pandering conviction was overturned.) She was released to a halfway house in 1998.

Fleiss was ordered to pay a $500 fine for each citation. She said local laws should be updated.

“Las Vegas is going to be just like Atlantic City if they don’t conform to the times,” Fleiss said.