Yakima City Council approves new ordinance on massage businesses - KMVU FOX 26 Medford

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The Yakima City Council approved new regulations on massage businesses Tuesday after a Yakima Police Department undercover investigation into sexual exploitation in the industry.

YPD and the city attorney’s office proposed new rules for local massage businesses due to concerns about illegal sexual exploitation. Detective Thomas Priestman said the rules were proposed after an undercover operation into nine local massage and reflexology businesses led to eight arrests.

Reflexology is a type of massage therapy.

Investigations into those businesses started after YPD received complaints from community members, said YPD Sgt. Ryan Yates in an email statement.

"The Yakima Police Department has received numerous complaints from community members reporting offers of sexual acts during massages at certain businesses," Yates said. "It is important to note that during our initial operation, eight out of nine businesses contacted offered sexual services in exchange for money."

Yates did not name the businesses and said investigations are ongoing. He said the rules YPD proposed at the council meeting would make it easier for police to do spot checks at businesses.

“The new ordinance would provide law enforcement with the additional and necessary tool to identify establishments engaging in sexual services for money,” Priestman said at the Tuesday meeting. “The city seeks to ensure a safe environment for both consumers and licensed practitioners.”

The ordinance would allow YPD to inspect common areas and ensure that massage therapists are licensed by the state, have government-issued IDs and are at least 18 years of age.

It would also prohibit massage businesses from operating between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. and require that they display licenses for their therapists.

Businesses and employers that violate the new rules could face a gross misdemeanor charge that carries jail sentences of up to 364 days and a $5,000 fine.

Their business licenses could also be revoked or denied for people with a history of human trafficking, prostitution or practicing unlicensed massage therapy.

The council unanimously approved the new rules. Council Member Janice Deccio, a former licensed massage therapist, said there were plenty of legitimate massage therapy businesses and the rules will help stop illegal practices.

“The industry itself needs to be more legitimized and this kind of (illegal) practice makes it delegitimized,” she said.

According to city documents, a meeting for massage business owners was held March 25 and one person showed up to ask questions.

Editor's note: This story was updated with additional information. More reporting on the meeting can be found here.