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Owner of Niles massage parlor charged with trying to bribe Niles fire inspector
By Ed Runyan
NILES
Suzi Kim’s Spa, closed since July 1 for failing a surprise inspection, now has another challenge to overcome before it can reopen — two counts of felony bribery filed against its owner.
Niles police arrested Chong Suk Williams, 70, of Cool Springs Church, Mercer, Pa., on Friday morning after inviting her there to discuss the closing of the massage parlor.
Two previous times city officials went to the spa at 5974 Youngstown Road — July 10 and July 12 — Williams tried to bribe an inspector with the Niles Fire Department to give the spa a favorable report so it could reopen, Niles police said.
Williams was arraigned on the two charges in Niles Municipal Court and was released after posting $10,000 bond.
A June 26 letter from Mayor Ralph Infante said the spa would not have its annual operator’s license renewed because of a host of violations observed during a June 4 inspection.
The inspectors were from the city’s health, income tax, fire, building and zoning, and police departments.
The letter says the inspectors found a variety of problems, including failure to secure a massage license for any massage technician at the site and failure to find identification of employees that matched the photo identifications on file at the mayor’s office.
There were no massage instruments found during the inspection, the letter noted, but several pairs of handcuffs were present.
Further, inspectors found suspected drug paraphernalia, several pill bottles not properly labeled, inoperable emergency lights, missing smoke detectors, uninspected fire extinguishers, improper use of an extension cord and bedding on six beds that needed to be sanitized.
The income-tax department reported that the business failed to make all tax-withholding payments between 2007 and 2012.
This was the first time the spa was inspected under the requirements of a tougher massage-parlor ordinance passed by Niles City Council in 2011, Infante said.
Suzi Kim’s Spa is the city’s only massage parlor. Eight in Warren were closed last year after an investigation by the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation turned up evidence of prostitution.