The father of "American Idol" runner-up David Archuleta was cited for and pleaded no contest to patronizing a prostitute in January.
James Jeffrey Archuleta, 47, took a no contest plea in abeyance for the class B misdemeanor during a hearing on Jan. 30, according to Midvale Justice Court records.
In November 2008, a doctor rented out part of his building at 7350 S. State to what he thought was a massage company, Midvale Police Sgt. John Salazar said. People at the doctor's office started noticing that the masseuses at Queens Reiki were coming scantily clad to the building, so they called police, because they thought it might be something more than a massage parlor, Salazar said.
Police began surveillance on the building in January and felt like something illegal was happening. On the afternoon of Jan. 14, police went in to bust the business and one man, Archuleta, was inside the building receiving services, Salazar said.
Archuleta was issued a citation for soliciting a prostitute, the masseuse was cited and the business was cited for operating without a license, according to Salazar.
Archuleta's plea in abeyance required him to not commit a similar crime for six months, complete a counseling class and pay a fee of $582, court records indicate.
Salazar said officers had no idea the man they cited was David Archuleta's father until reporters contacted them Wednesday.
— Pat Reavy and Ethan Thomas