Eureka council to discuss revoking massage shop permit after allegations of prostitution - Eureka Times-Standard

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Eureka City Council will hold a hearing Tuesday evening on whether to restore the business permit of Sunshine Asian Massage, revoked in late May due to the arrest record of the owner Rongqiu Li. The public hearing will provide Li will have the opportunity to appeal EPD’s decision to pull his permit for allegedly violating municipal code.

Li is pleading is facing four charges: battery, prostitution, attempted prostitution and unlawfully touching an intimate part of another person. Li was booked to the Humboldt County jail on March 23 and released the same day on bail.

The business permit was officially revoked by Eureka Police Chief Todd Jarvis in early June after Li apparently failed to make an EPD hearing on the matter. A letter from Jarvis states EPD notified Li of the hearing by mail and email.

According to Jarvis’ letter, the Eureka Police Department investigated Li after being alerted by the Department of Justice of his arrest. An EPD spokesperson said that the case was a Humboldt County District Attorney case and did not have a report.

The Jarvis letter states as per municipal code, the chief of police can revoke a business permit for a massage parlor if EPD has probable cause the holder has committed a violent crime, prostitution or lewdness.

The registration of the business was also revoked.

If the Eureka City Council agrees with the police revoking the permit, they can make a resolution at the meeting to affirm the decision. The council can otherwise prepare a resolution for the next meeting to reinstate the permit.

The letter states according to the municipal code, the permittee can present evidence in support of reissuing the permit during the hearing. Any interested party can participate in the hearing with evidence, as deemed appropriate by the council.

“The burden of proof shall be on the chief of police,” the code states.

A letter from City Attorney Autumn Luna said that Li had appealed the decision of EPD in writing, going through the process to reinstate the permit.

The Humboldt County District Attorney’s office noted that the next court date is Aug 31, with Sept 11 as a possible jury trial starting date. Li’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment before the Times-Standard deadline.

The meeting starts at 6 p.m. at Eureka City Hall on Tuesday evening.

Sage Alexander can be reached at 707-441-0504.

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