Modesto News Blog: Councilman wants crackdown on Modesto massage parlors

MODESTO -- Councilman Dave Geer said Friday that he suspects too many of the city's massage parlors are fronts for prostitution and he aims to stop them.

Geer said he will have an agenda item to discuss tightening up the requirements for massage parlors at the March meeting of the council's Safety and Communities Committee. Geer, who is a member of the committee, also wants to make it easier for authorities to go after massage parlors that are fronts for prostitution.

He said he's also concerned that some parlors with Asian workers also are engaging in the human trafficking of undergage girls.

Geer has gleaned his information from police officers during his frequent ride-alongs with officers. He said rank-and-file officers as well as higher-ranking officers, such as lieutenants, have told him that massage parlor prostitution is a problem, especially in his council district 2, which iincludes downtown and west Modesto.

Geer made his comments during a council study session on updating the city's strategic plan. Attracting businesses is one of the plan's goals, and Geer said having businesses providing prostitutes does not help the city's efforts to attract legitimate businesses.