Santa Rosa mother and son accused of running prostitution ring

A mother and son suspected of human trafficking and pimping in Rohnert Park and Santa Rosa were arrested Friday after multiple women told undercover police officers they were part of a prostitution ring run by the pair, according to a news release from the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety.

Police said that David Romesburg, 37, and his mother, Fay Romesburg, 59, were running the prostitution ring out of a Rohnert Park apartment, a Santa Rosa home and their soon-to-open Rohnert Park business called Black Cat Industries - listed as a gaming and karaoke studio.

The investigation began when the manager of a Rohnert Park apartment complex in the 4000 block of Snyder Lane became suspicious of what seemed to be a constant cycle of men entering and exiting an apartment rented by David Romesburg, police said.

After being alerted to the activity, Rohnert Park officers found similar complaints had been made to the Santa Rosa Police Department about a home where the Romesburgs lived on Alvarado Avenue near Doyle Community Park.

Internet ads for massage services placed by the Romesburgs showed photographs of women and indicated that clients could ask for “upgrades,” police said, and the listed phone number was associated with Fay Romesburg, authorities said.

On Friday, an undercover Rohnert Park police officer set up an appointments for a massage and was told to go to the Snyder Lane apartment rented by David Romesburg, and once there, the officer was offered a sex act “in exchange for a specified amount of money,” the news release said.

Meanwhile, search warrants were served at the Santa Rosa home and at the Rohnert Park business, where it appeared private rooms were being constructed, the release said. At the Santa Rosa home, officers spoke with women who said David Romesburg would post ads and then send the women to meet the clients. After the encounters, they were forced to give some of the money collected back to the Romesburgs, police said.

Other women said they were held against their will, and forced to prostitute themselves or have sex with David Romesburg before they were allowed to “have money for certain basic needs,” the news release said.

The Romesburgs were arrested and taken to Sonoma County Jail Friday on suspicion of pimping and pandering and human trafficking. Fay Romesburg was being held on $245,000 bail and David Romesburg was being held on $250,000 bail.

By Saturday morning, the Romesburgs were no longer listed as inmates.

You can reach Staff Writer Christi Warren at 707-521-5205 or christi.warren@pressdemocrat.com. ?On Twitter @SeaWarren.