Nothing is ever as simple as it seems.
I had heard about this a month or so back and followed a conversation about the case. The bottom line to this is simple: If you're going to do stuff that's outside the lines it behooves you not to call attention to yourself.
Mr. Salman called attention to himself and his activities because they were disturbing the peace in the neighborhood by their frequency and volume. He wouldn't cooperate with his neighbors so a bunch of them (not just one or two) complained.
When the city came into the picture they discovered that Mr. Salmam was operating a church on his property. No one said that he couldn't do that but if he was going to persist he would have to follow the zoning regulations. He chose to respond by selectively doing part of what the city demanded. He got a permit and built a "game room" as a dodge. He used that addition as his church hall. He never did obtain the required permit to use the building as a church. Again, that whole call attention to yourself that I mentioned.
The city came in and cited him for zoning violations. He continued in defiance of city edicts. He was taken to court where his church is found liable for a bunch of violations and Salman is given jail time.
IMO he spit into the wind and you know what that gets you.