Philly Daily News June 14, 2001

City shuts 'sex dungeon'

L&I inspectors close what they believe is a sex business in South Philly

By Nicole Weisensee Egan

From the outside, the tidy storefront in the heart of South Philadelphia looks like an ordinary cell-phone business.

But inside, amid the whips, riding crops, catheters, gags and paddles, domination goddesses who call themselves Destiny Kaine, Natasha Paine and Myah Pierce operated a sexual chamber of horrors, authorities allege.

City inspectors yesterday said they shut down the dungeon for a zoning violation after neighbors complained about screaming. Cops also were investigating.

“We got reports from neighbors about a business operating there where people scream,” said Deputy Licenses and Inspections Commissioner Dominic Verdi. “Then another man called and said it was a torture chamber in there. I thought he was kidding and it couldn’t be that bad. We went in. It was that bad.”

L&I shut down the business because the property is not zoned for adult entertainment, Verdi said.

One of the operators of the business, who would not give her name, insisted no sexual acts were being performed there.

“I was not running a sexual torture chamber,” she said. “It was a fetish photography studio. There were no sexual acts performed here. I’ve contacted a lawyer.”

She said she had a license from L&I to operate a studio, called SM Photography studio, at the building on 16th Street near Moyamensing Avenue.

Verdi said that she had a permit, not a license, and that the permit specifically forbids any form of adult entertainment.

“The permit she has will be revoked for falsification of her statement,” he said, adding that he did not see evidence that it was a photography studio. “She can call it anything she wants, but I didn’t see any camera equipment.”

The woman maintained that the cameras were in drawers that L&I officials failed to search.

L&I inspectors entered the building last Wednesday.

Outside the building a sign said “Telstar Communications.” Inside, authorities said, was a smorgasbord of sex toys.

The first room was arranged like a professional office waiting room, with a leather couch, a stereo playing rap music and a small refrigerator and microwave oven off to the side.

A desk displayed business cards offerring “sophisticated dominance” and “dominance at its best.” The cards listed two Internet addresses, e-mail addresses and phone numbers to set up appointments. A recording on one of the phone numbers said a grand opening was May 1.

A second room featured a torture rack. A straitjacket hung from one end. Beneath the straitjacket dangled a set of handcuffs. The rack faced a wall arrayed with whips, chains, ropes, penile restraints, anal plugs, a gag ball, belts, billy clubs and several types of paddles.

Next to the wall was a toilet with the bottom cut out, which would allow someone to stick their head in and be splattered with urine or feces, authorities said.

A third room was arranged like a doctor’s office, complete with exam table and forceps. In drawers were enema bags and various other sex objects. In the corner was an electric cattle prod. On the shelves were Vaseline and latex gloves and various medical equipment. A large supply of clothespins was on another table.

A closet contained several pairs of high-heeled shoes, medical smocks and other outfits.

The business operator said all the gear was just props for the photography business.

“If we are doing fetish photography, we have to have fetish equipment,” she said.

Neighbors said they were glad to see the business shut down. They said they were tired of the steady stream of people with out-of-state license plates going in and out, and tired of hearing screaming that sometimes filtered out.

“One Saturday afternoon I saw an old man go in there,” said a neighbor. “Three hours later he still hadn’t come out. This does not belong in a neighborhood like this. I have children and I’m thinking of moving out.”

Philadelphia police said they were investigating activities at the property to see if criminal charges were warranted.i

-- Lars (larsguy@yahoo.com), June 14, 2001

Answers

I did a search on the names of these "domination godesses" and found the following site. This sort of thing seems to be going on in every major American city.

http://www.dominaguide.com/

Sophisticated Dominance Opening Im May
...Philadelphia Pa.
The all new sophisticated Dominance will be open late April early May. Featuring Goddess Destiny Kaine and Empress Myah Pierce. Both formally of Olde English Chambers. Goddess Destiny was Head Mistress there for the past several years. She has decided to venture Out on her own. Best of luck.

-- For (educational@purposes.only), June 14, 2001.

What planet was that?

-- helen (a@aaiii.eeee), June 14, 2001.

I guess they should have sound proofed the rooms. Whatever floats your boat!

Though glad to see it shut down. That kind of stuff should only go on at 13th & Arch, not in that neighborhood.

-- Maria (anon@ymous.com), June 14, 2001.

I'd pay big money for a good catheterization. Ooooh,oooooh!

-- (nemesis@awol.com), June 14, 2001.

nemesis...c'mere baby

-- (mistress@cin.), June 14, 2001.