Bellevue Police say a tattoo artist has twice been cited for not complying after being told to shut down in an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Police Chief Tim Melvin tells 6 News Leon Alderette was cited on April 10th and 12th for piercing and tattooing customers, violations of the governor's health directive. “We’re past warnings on this because even after the first citation two days later he’s doing it again so it’s obvious that he has no regard for the law that’s currently in effect.”
Police have been called out there several times alone in the past week. Nearby business owners say his carelessness is driving business away. Melvin tells 6 News Alderette has also been operating on a revoked license since mid-February.
“He’s taking his own health and he’s taking someone else’s health which also affects all of us,” Melvin said.
He says this is the only Bellevue business actively defying the mandate. If they find others, they plan to handle them on a case by case basis.
“We’re in uncharted territory with the pandemic like this and having to help mandate that restricts businesses but in the instances where they’re just obviously going to be defiant and violate the order we will take enforcement action,” Melvin says.