2 Massage Parlors Closed by Judge : City Attorney’s Office Imposes Red Light Abatement Act

A San Diego Superior Court judge on Monday ordered two mid-city massage parlors to close for one year, based on reports of prostitution and other lewd acts at the establishments.

The preliminary injunction against China Doll Oriental Massage, 3671 Fairmount Ave., and Yokohama Oriental Massage, 5506 University Ave., was ordered by Judge Vincent DiFiglia, Deputy City Atty. Joe Schilling said.

The property owners, identified by the city attorney’s office as Sung Ae Hong, of the Yokohama, and Kang Ho Yi, of the China Doll, are prohibited from operating a massage parlor for one year, beginning Dec. 1, Schilling said.

“It is rare that a business would be ordered closed by a judge at the preliminary injunction stage,” he said. “The court was prone to grant such extraordinary relief to the city because of the evidence of repeated acts of prostitution occurring at these parlors. So the city obtained what it would usually obtain at the permanent injunction stage.”

Undercover Investigation

An undercover investigation by officers of the San Diego Police Department’s vice detail between December and July revealed 45 violations at Yokohama and 22 violations at China Doll, he said.

The violations included acts of prostitution, masturbation of clients, and masseuses disrobing while in the presence of clients, according to Schilling.

City officials based their complaint against China Doll, Yokohama, and two other massage parlors in the mid-city area on a rarely used state law for “red light abatement,” which allows a judge to shut the business and order the sale of all furniture, according to Schilling.

“The city wanted to use the red light abatement law because going out and arresting the (massage) technicians over and over again was ineffective,” he said. “The repeated, habitual practice of allowing these acts of prostitution to continue implied there was either direct or indirect approval from the property owners and business operators.”

A temporary restraining order was issued in August against China Doll and Yokohama, as well as Suzi Wong Massage and Hong Kong Spa, requiring the owners to post signs and hand out individual warnings to customers that no further lewd acts or prostitution will occur on the premises, Schilling said.

Since that time, seven additional violations were detected by vice officers at China Doll and Yokohama, he said.

“Obviously, the best way to stop these acts of prostitution and lewdness is to close down these establishments,” he said.

The owners of Suzi Wong Massage and Hong Kong Spa agreed in late September to close their parlors, Schilling said.