David Archuleta's Father and the Prostitute

David Archuleta was the runner up on Season 7 of American Idol.

His overbearing father, James Jeffrey Archuleta, became familiar to viewers of the series.

The elder Archuleta is still getting attention.

From KSTU:

The father of American Idol runner up David Archuleta has been charged with soliciting prostitution. 47-year-old James Jeffrey Archuleta pleaded no contest to the charges in the Midvale Justice Court. Midvale Police Sergeant John Salazar says the citation was part of an investigation into a Reiki massage parlor. Salazar said they received tips of suspicious activity at the business located at 7350 South Sate Street in Midvale.

"We observed the short stay traffic, we observed the minimal dress so we thought something was up, so then we went in force," said Salazar.

On January 14, 2009 six Midvale officers entered the business and found one client receiving services.

"Two of our detectives went back to that room to stop the activity," said Salazar. "Inside they found a female masseuse and male client. At that time an interview ensued and the male client admitted to receiving sexual gratification from the masseuse."

..."He {Archuleta} was in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Erik Bauer, Archuleta's attorney, "He's a good man and we hope this story won't cause his family any embarrassment."

In this case, he was not acting like a "good man."

Of course, this story is causing his family embarrassment, unless his family is OK with adultery and prostitution.

When asked about the alleged confession to Midvale Police that Archuleta had engaged in a sexual act with the masseuse Bauer said, "Oh, I don't know what those police officers say, I mean, who knows what they say. He did not go there for sex and that was it and pure, plain and simple that's the way it was."

But Midvale Police says their investigation says otherwise. "His intent going into the massage parlor was to receive sexual gratification so we cited him for solicitation of prostitution, said Salazar. "The male customer received sexual gratification at the hands of the masseuse."

Archuleta paid a fine of $582.00 after entering a plea of no contest; a move his attorney says was to avoid undue attention.

"It's no contest," said Bauer, "it's not a not guilty plea by any means, it's not a guilty plea by any means...it's just saying I don't want to deal with it."

Well, that no contest plea didn't succeed in avoiding undue attention.

Jeff Archuleta isn't a celebrity, but his son is.

The father allegedly committed an extremely selfish and illegal act. He showed no regard for his well-known son and the rest of his family.

There's always the possibility that this was a stunt, a calculated move by Jeff Archuleta, to get David back in the spotlight and boost sales of his album.

Admittedly, that's a stretch.