SAN DIEGO — The city of San Diego looks to shut down a Kearny Mesa massage parlor after investigating numerous complaints of prostitution.
In a January 25 court filing, the San Diego City Attorney's Office says Ocean Spa located on Kearny Mesa Villa Road has had an "extensive" history of prostitution-related arrests and complaints over the past three years.
According to the documents, over the last year alone, the San Diego Police Department spent 125 hours investigating prostitution and other lewd acts at the Kearny Mesa business located at 4550 Kearny Villa Drive.
"This includes reports of foot traffic at all hours of the day, sexual sounds coming from the premises which are audible to nearby businesses, and female employees wearing sexually explicit clothing," reads the complaint.
However, issues at the business date back further than recent history.
In 2018 and 2019, while investigating claims of prostitution at the site, SDPD vice detectives went undercover and paid for massages at the business. Once in the room, women offered to perform sex acts in exchange for money.
In response, San Diego Police sent the owner an abatement letter stating that the business violated the city's Red Light Abatement Law. The owner at the time agreed to shut down the business.
Less than a week later, however, a business under a different name, Ocean Spa, applied for and obtained a business license to operate as a "skin care" and aromatherapy operation.
In 2022, the complaint states that a bible study center opened in the offices next door to the Ocean Spa.
Soon thereafter, church members began to hear noises coming from their neighbor's business.
"Study sessions were regularly interrupted by the sounds of loud moaning of a sexual nature emanating from the property," reads the complaint. "During at least one holiday, members of the church viewed female Ocean Spa employees wearing skimpy and sexually suggestive clothing. On numerous occasions, Ocean Spa employees approached male students of the church and told them to 'come over and visit them.'"
Throughout 2023, San Diego Police regularly responded to prostitution-related complaints at the business. During one visit, building inspectors found suitcases and living quarters inside the commercial building.
In response the city is now requesting that a judge order the business to close and for the tenants to vacate the property.
CBS 8 tried to reach out to Ocean Spa, however, the business was not accepting any calls at the time.
