Court closes unlicensed Maumee tattoo parlor

3/29/2014

An unlicensed Maumee tattoo parlor is out of business for at least the next three years.

Kirk Summey, 51, of 2102 Alvin St., who once operated Juki’s Tattoo Shop at Parkway Plaza, pleaded no contest in Maumee Municipal Court and was found guilty of six counts of unlawful tattooing or body piercing services and two counts of consent required to perform a procedure on a minor.

Mr. Summey was sentenced earlier this month to 10 days at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio and 50 days on electronic home monitoring. He was placed on probation for three years, during which time he cannot possess any tattooing equipment.

Mr. Summey also was ordered to perform 40 hours of community service and to pay restitution for his offenses' victims, who had to be tested for infectious diseases.

The Toledo-Lucas County Health Department had sought to close Juki’s, whose license had expired in 2010, because of concerns about possible health risks for its customers.

Stacy DeBruyne, a health department spokesman, said Friday that Lucas County has 25 licensed tattoo parlors.

“That was our problem one,” she said of Juki's. “Hopefully that stops any others from popping up.”

Maumee City Prosecutor John Arnsby said Mr. Summey was ordered to forfeit equipment and other items seized during a search of Juki’s.

“I think it's important for people to know that if they get a tattoo or piercing, the person who does it ought to be licensed,” Mr. Arnsby said.