Neighbors have complained for years
Daily Press Staff Writer
A Santa Monica man has been arrested for allegedly running a prostitution ring out of his Pico Boulevard motel. But the motel owner, whose arrest capped a lengthy police investigation, says he’s a victim of guilt by association.
Maurice Farzam, owner of the Holiday Motel at 1102 Pico Blvd., has been charged with 10 criminal counts of pimping, theft, fraud and causing a public nuisance.
Farzam is free on $200,000 bond. He said Tuesday he is innocent.
“They found some hookers that probably had a room here or there that needed to look good and would say anything,” said Farzam, an Iranian immigrant and father of four who lives north of San Vicente Boulevard. “This is all about hearsay. The whole case.”
Farzam, who has owned the hotel for 18 years, said he is being targeted by police because of an incident earlier this year involving a group of loud tenants who refused to leave. He said he received numerous complaints from neighbors and police, but that it took him months to finally have the group evicted.
The group apparently used drugs and brought prostitutes to the motel, said Farzam, who added that since he was able to evict them in May the motel has been quiet and safe.
But a handful of neighbors insisted Tuesday that problems at the Holiday Motel have existed for years.
“You see fancy cars pull up, a hand-over, and then they leave,” said one eight-year neighborhood resident whose garage backs up to the motel. “Obviously fancy cars aren’t staying there.”
The resident, who along with several other neighbors asked not to be identified, said the motel had quieted down recently. Still, she said prostitute sightings are not uncommon and she’s hoping to see the motel torn down.
A woman who identified herself only as “Missy” said she’s seen problems at the Holiday Hotel when she walks her two dogs in the relatively quiet neighborhood near the intersection of 11th and Pico Boulevard.
“It’s not like the prostitutes walk around the neighborhood with their butts hanging out,” she said. “But everyone around realizes it and it’s definitely a little disturbing to know they’re around. But what are you gonna do? It’s not like you can just hose them down.”
“MISSY” — — Neighborhood resident
“It’s not like the prostitutes walk around the neighborhood with their butts hanging out. But everyone around realizes it and it’s definitely a little disturbing to know they’re around. But what are you gonna do? It’s not like you can just hose them down.”
The rooms, which command $50 to $55 a night, are occupied from one night to a week, Farzam said. He added that he no longer accepts long-term tenants because they are difficult to evict and often cause problems.
Farzam said police used the allegation that he dealt drugs out of the office to obtain a search warrant even though they knew he never used or dealt drugs. Asked if his tenants frequently use drugs in their motel rooms, Farzam replied, “Maybe, but it’s not about me. I don’t know that. Their business is their business and my business is my business.”
Police served the search and arrest warrants on Farzam on July 30. Farzam’s arrest ended a year-long investigation, according to a statement from Santa Monica police lieutenant Frank Fabrega.
Five agencies were involved in the investigation, which also targeted the hotel for a variety of building code violations. Police investigators conducted a follow-up search at Farzam's home.
The investigation was prompted by a lengthy history of resident complaints mostly involving prostitution, illegal drug activity, and nuisance violations. Over the past four years, police received over 150 calls pertaining to the Holiday Motel, according to Fabrega.
Farzam was charged Friday with two counts of maintaining a disorderly house, three counts of creating a public nuisance, three counts of credit card theft, one count of accepting a fraudulent signature on a credit card and one count of accepting stolen property.
He said he’s in the process of retaining a lawyer.
“I do respect and want to do everything the city wants me to do,” Farzam said. “We have to do what we have to do and hopefully the problem will go away.”
(Daily Press Staff Writer Patrick Kinmartin contributed to this report.)
“Missy”
Resident
Maurice Farzam
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on August 6, 2003. Read the original PDF.