Police shut down two Monterey massage parlors for illicit activity. - Monterey County...

[massage]

Monterey city officials are sending a message to Monterey massage parlors that try to offer sex acts under the guise of massage: If caught in the act, your business will be closed down.


At least two long-standing massage businesses in the area have already been closed down, showing authorities continue to crack down on parlors.



Classic Massage and Spa on Cass Street and Cypress Studio on Casanova Avenue had their permits denied this month by the Monterey Police Department after prostitutes were arrested in the businesses. The women are accused of wearing short, tight clothing while offering sex services to undercover police officers.


The city disclosed the names of people who submitted the business permits, requesting to keep their business going, and the names of the people and companies who own the properties where the illicit activity went on.


Classic Massage and Spa was leased and run by Yu Hua Jin of Monterey and the property was leased to him by CAL Property Management based in Salinas.


The permit for Cypress Studio was submitted by a man from Colorado Springs, James Thomas Hendershott. The property, owned by San Diego-based Federal Consulting Inc, was leased to Hendershott and Myoung Podyma of Illinois, by landlord Marnie Gustafon of Carmel.


For some time, authorities have suspected there is a human trafficking element to the illicit activity going on in a few of these parlors, partly because prostitutes and business owners often arrive from different states.


Police have been conducting numerous undercover operations at several massage parlors for the past couple months, to be in compliance with a new ordinance that gave the police department jurisdiction over approving or denying massage parlor permits in hopes that massage parlors can be better regulated that way.


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