Manager Arrested : Pandering Alleged at Bookstore

The manager of Glendale’s only sexually oriented bookstore was arrested last weekend on suspicion of pandering, police said.

Gary Enea, 43, manager of Unique News and Video, 5130 San Fernando Road, was arrested Saturday evening at the store and released on $2,000 bail.

An arraignment date has not been set.

Enea was arrested after a man, who said he was befriended by Enea several weeks ago, told officers he was working as a prostitute for Enea, police said.

Martin D. Simmons, 25, said he was homeless when Enea invited him to live at the bookstore. In exchange for lodging, Simmons had sex with male customers either in a back room or in one of the store’s video viewing booths, he told police.

Struggle, Broken Nose

According to a police report, Enea awakened Simmons Saturday night for a customer.

Simmons told police he refused and tried to leave the store, but was held back by Enea and another employee.

After scuffling with the two men and suffering a broken nose, Simmons called police.

Simmons also told police Enea had videotaped some of the sexual liaisons.

As a result of Simmons’ statements, Glendale police obtained a search warrant Monday and seized about 50 homemade videotapes from the store.

Police said they may seek more charges against Enea after reviewing the tapes.

Police said Enea acknowledged that he befriended Simmons several weeks ago and invited him to live at the store until he could find work.

Enea said that Simmons began acting irrationally last week and that Simmons called police after Enea and another employee had tried to subdue him, police said.

The store has been a center of controversy since its opening in May, 1986.

To date, 15 men have been arrested on suspicion of lewd conduct in the store’s video peep booths, police said.

Last November, Enea and the owner of the store, Daniel Bishop, were found guilty of violating city zoning laws by installing about 20 token-operated video booths.

During a trial before Glendale Municipal Judge Cheryl Krott, Assistant City Atty. Scott Howard also introduced evidence suggesting that sexual liaisons between men took place in some of the booths that had holes cut in the walls.

Krott fined Bishop and Enea $850 each for violating the terms of their occupancy permit, placed them on two years unsupervised probation and ordered the booths closed pending Enea’s efforts to obtain an appropriate permit.

In January, zoning officials refused that permit application, saying that the type of permit needed could be issued to downtown businesses only and not those along the industrial stretch of San Fernando Road where the store is located.