Massage Therapist Loses Permit Appeal
A licensed massage therapist, who allegedly employed women convicted for acts of prostitution at studios she owned in Newport Beach, lost an appeal Monday to set up shop in Costa Mesa.
The City Council upheld a decision by Police Chief David L. Snowden to deny Karol Anna Tran of Westminster a permit, based on convictions of two prostitutes who worked at her business. Tran has no criminal record, but officials said they were reluctant to approve a permit.
“I believe the management of a business requires you to oversee your employees,” Councilman Joe Erickson said.
An attorney for Tran said the women were not working for her when they were arrested in 1996. They instead were tenants subleasing a portion of her Newport Beach shops, the Getaway and the Mirage, he said.
“The City Council acted outside of the ordinance and failed to consider that other business people made choices that were wrong,” lawyer Scott Van Soye said.
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