UPDATE: Don’t ya just love the economic impact of all these suburbanites patronizing city massage parlors? Police arrested several women on misdemeanor licensing charges at massage parlors police say are fronts for prostitution. Police did not arrest the naked male customers because they were not caught in the act of sex. It’s not illegal to be unclothed for “massage therapy.” News release from Bill Kaempffer, Bridgeport Police spokesman:
Two weeks after shutting down 10 illegal massage parlors, police and health officials returned Thursday to make sure they remained closed down.
Members of the police narcotics and vice squad and city health department found two spas open, operating and with naked clients inside. Five women working there were arrested under the state public act governing massage parlors. The offense is a misdemeanor.
“When we first shut them down, we told the operators of these businesses we would be monitoring activity and would make arrests if they illegally reopened,” said Police Chief Joseph L. Gaudett Jr. “These businesses didn’t heed our warning.”
The businesses are known fronts for prostitution, according to police.
The two massage parlors that reopened were Chate’au, at 2662 Fairfield Ave., and Kay’s Hong Kong, 604 North Ave. None of the five employees had required state licenses for massage therapists.
At Kay’s Hong Kong, police arrested manager Kumyob Dunford-Harris, 63, Chun Hee Hwang, 49, whose home addresses were listed as the spa, and Bok Duk Park, 48, of Flushing NY.
Investigators found Park naked inside a room with a 76-year-old Westport man, who also was naked.
Hwang was found in a room with a 48-year-old Cheshire man.
Mug shots provided by Bridgeport PD.
At Chate’au, police found a naked 64-year-old Ansonia man. Manager Fengstan Han, 44, and Jaejui Hwang, 42, were arrested. Both apparently lived at the spa.
According to police Capt. AJ Perez, Bridgeport officials hoped moving forward to conduct joint inspections with state authorities and also contacted the U.S. Attorney’s office because of the potential of human trafficking.
“The big picture is it is important to the chief of police and the people of Bridgeport that these businesses no longer function like this.”
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19 comments
Isn’t it interesting the reports usually indicate patrons are from the ‘burbs? And in both circumstances we have business owners and employees residing in a commercial place of business. What does the law say about that?
Maybe the next time the senior from Westport wants to come to Bridgeport, take off some clothes and engage in some spirited activity, he will sign up ahead of time for a Polar Bear splash at Seaside Park and donate some funds for a charitable cause. Of course he should check with his cardiologist that his ticker is up to it, right? Time will tell.
Then here is a next battle. Didn’t Ed Koch publish johns’ names? These women are not making free choices. If you look at the websites these pathetic men frequent, they acknowledge women are trafficked or enslaved. So obviously they are not licensed but just as obviously, these naked guys from Westport and Cheshire are paying for a service that is illegal. Arrest them and let’s see those handsome mugs!
So patronizing a prostitute isn’t a crime in Bridgeport? The patrons come from surrounding and in some cases, affluent towns, to obtain sexual contact for money, and they should be charged with a criminal offense. Those women should be deported and the landlord held accountable for the behavior of his/her tenants. If a landlord is renting to a tenant who is conducting illegal activity on his property, the landlord can terminate the lease and evict the tenant for just cause.
It would be nice for a reporter to do a follow-up story on the landlords of these establishments … surely they know they are hosts to these illegal businesses … would like to see their names in print! Nothing like making a quick buck off the backs of women who surely did not sign up for a life like this!
The building owners are public record–actually went to a meeting and heard the building owner of Tokyo Spa building ask the community to support his request for variance for parking–he was well aware of the spa business–they pay their rent on time, are quiet and good tenants–and I recall, possibly incorrectly–he implied he was not aware the business was an issue for the neighborhood–he lives in Fairfield. This is, I think, a good example of the type of non-resident landowner attitudes–and the actions of some very dedicated citizens working with the state officials to make the government aware there are people in Bridgeport who will gather and work to see quality of life issues are resolved–rather than complain and point fingers, they quietly gathered, found legislative and police support and got the job started–and remain diligent to make sure the goals are kept. People can make a difference.
I’ve lived in Black Rock for nearly 13 years. The neighborhood has changed for the better during that time: Good Times Café, a notorious drug den, was struck by a suspicious fire and is now closed. The Black Rock Art Center, Joe “Snake oil, anyone?” Celli’s cultural sham, is now closed (he wanted something for nothing and got a 100% return on his investment). New restaurants have opened, some of the finest eateries in the city. But the whorehouses remained. Now they are closed. Good. It is a quality of life issue. Prostitution is illegal everywhere in the United States, except for parts of Nevada. If the men who patronized these establishments really want to pay for sexual encounters I’m sure AARP will offer discounts on package deals to Reno or Las Vegas.
Those who read this column regularly know I am in favor of OATs (not sowing them, necessarily, as the phrase goes) but rather public practices that are OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT. However, even in that context, ZENA LU, can we provide a small white towel, larger than a wash cloth to cover the heads of the guys in your proposed photo op? Time will tell.
The City of Bridgeport purchased the building and spent over $600,000 on it. Work was certainly necessary on the building as on all older structures, whether City owned or not. Mr. Celli’s program was not provided with a lease long enough for it to apply for and receive funding from any source for such capital improvements. I am not aware Mr. Celli’s program received City funding of any significance, either.
When the City closed the Black Rock Library for a period of several years, there was a very short-term attempt to use part of the Arts Center space for storage of books. So just as the Black Rock Library sat vacant, unused and deteriorating until LOCIP funds were accessed by the City, the Black Rock “Arts Center” building has sat empty under City ownership, maintenance protocols and attempts to sell for how many years now??? The former Black Rock Bank & Trust, like other City-announced development projects, has had multiple interested parties, almost ready to sign and commit, but not yet it often turns out. And thus blight, City-managed blight, may be the right way to address the subject going forward. What happens to City plans and planners when taxpayer dollars are approved and spent and the deal falls far short of publicity? A public scapegoat must be found and held up to view, even if the facts of the situation are ignored. Time will tell.
Isn’t it interesting the reports usually indicate patrons are from the ‘burbs? And in both circumstances we have business owners and employees residing in a commercial place of business. What does the law say about that?
Maybe the next time the senior from Westport wants to come to Bridgeport, take off some clothes and engage in some spirited activity, he will sign up ahead of time for a Polar Bear splash at Seaside Park and donate some funds for a charitable cause. Of course he should check with his cardiologist that his ticker is up to it, right? Time will tell.
I can hardly wait for the next bust. Maybe instead of publishing photos of the women we can see the mugs of the fellas from Westport and Cheshire.
I checked on this. Police decided not to charge the male patrons because they see this as a licensing issue rather than a patronizing issue.
Then here is a next battle. Didn’t Ed Koch publish johns’ names? These women are not making free choices. If you look at the websites these pathetic men frequent, they acknowledge women are trafficked or enslaved. So obviously they are not licensed but just as obviously, these naked guys from Westport and Cheshire are paying for a service that is illegal. Arrest them and let’s see those handsome mugs!
So patronizing a prostitute isn’t a crime in Bridgeport? The patrons come from surrounding and in some cases, affluent towns, to obtain sexual contact for money, and they should be charged with a criminal offense. Those women should be deported and the landlord held accountable for the behavior of his/her tenants. If a landlord is renting to a tenant who is conducting illegal activity on his property, the landlord can terminate the lease and evict the tenant for just cause.
I checked further. The 76 year old was not arrested because he was not completely naked. He still had on his bow tie.
Why can’t they just open liquor stores in bad neighborhoods or dry cleaners in the ‘burbs?
It would be nice for a reporter to do a follow-up story on the landlords of these establishments … surely they know they are hosts to these illegal businesses … would like to see their names in print! Nothing like making a quick buck off the backs of women who surely did not sign up for a life like this!
Paying customers and landlords–I agree!
Interesting that they publish the names of the women but not the customers or the building owners.
The building owners are public record–actually went to a meeting and heard the building owner of Tokyo Spa building ask the community to support his request for variance for parking–he was well aware of the spa business–they pay their rent on time, are quiet and good tenants–and I recall, possibly incorrectly–he implied he was not aware the business was an issue for the neighborhood–he lives in Fairfield. This is, I think, a good example of the type of non-resident landowner attitudes–and the actions of some very dedicated citizens working with the state officials to make the government aware there are people in Bridgeport who will gather and work to see quality of life issues are resolved–rather than complain and point fingers, they quietly gathered, found legislative and police support and got the job started–and remain diligent to make sure the goals are kept. People can make a difference.
I’ve lived in Black Rock for nearly 13 years. The neighborhood has changed for the better during that time: Good Times Café, a notorious drug den, was struck by a suspicious fire and is now closed. The Black Rock Art Center, Joe “Snake oil, anyone?” Celli’s cultural sham, is now closed (he wanted something for nothing and got a 100% return on his investment). New restaurants have opened, some of the finest eateries in the city. But the whorehouses remained. Now they are closed. Good. It is a quality of life issue. Prostitution is illegal everywhere in the United States, except for parts of Nevada. If the men who patronized these establishments really want to pay for sexual encounters I’m sure AARP will offer discounts on package deals to Reno or Las Vegas.
I find the photo op in this post completely underwhelming and a little misleading. Bring on the naked guys!
Those who read this column regularly know I am in favor of OATs (not sowing them, necessarily, as the phrase goes) but rather public practices that are OPEN, ACCOUNTABLE and TRANSPARENT. However, even in that context, ZENA LU, can we provide a small white towel, larger than a wash cloth to cover the heads of the guys in your proposed photo op? Time will tell.
Which heads, JML!
Absofrakinglutely not, JML. We deserve to see the NAKED truth with our NAKED eyes. 🙂
*** Hey, you can’t get a good massage with your clothes on, can you? ***
Someone mentioned Joe Celli. It seems like that building is a tremendous blight since he left. No?
The City of Bridgeport purchased the building and spent over $600,000 on it. Work was certainly necessary on the building as on all older structures, whether City owned or not. Mr. Celli’s program was not provided with a lease long enough for it to apply for and receive funding from any source for such capital improvements. I am not aware Mr. Celli’s program received City funding of any significance, either.
When the City closed the Black Rock Library for a period of several years, there was a very short-term attempt to use part of the Arts Center space for storage of books. So just as the Black Rock Library sat vacant, unused and deteriorating until LOCIP funds were accessed by the City, the Black Rock “Arts Center” building has sat empty under City ownership, maintenance protocols and attempts to sell for how many years now??? The former Black Rock Bank & Trust, like other City-announced development projects, has had multiple interested parties, almost ready to sign and commit, but not yet it often turns out. And thus blight, City-managed blight, may be the right way to address the subject going forward. What happens to City plans and planners when taxpayer dollars are approved and spent and the deal falls far short of publicity? A public scapegoat must be found and held up to view, even if the facts of the situation are ignored. Time will tell.