Underground Unlicensed Tattoo Artist Charged in NH

Monday, July 26, 2010

Underground Unlicensed Tattoo Artist Charged in NH

A local newspaper article that RI tattoo artist and Inflicting Ink owner Jeff Goyette found interesting concerning unlicensed, underground illegal tattooing is posted below.

Illegal Tattoo Artist Faces New Charges

May 7th, 2009

Police File New Charges Against Illicit Tattoo Artist

By Andrew Wolfe

NASHUA, NH – Police have brought additional charges against a woman accused of tattooing minors in an unlicensed, underground tattoo parlor in her apartment, detectives reported Wednesday.

Ronalda Brunner-Cummings, 45, of 1 Burns Hill Road, building 3, apt. 37, Hudson, has been jailed since her arrest late last month, unable to post $1,000 bail, Detective Lt. Jeff Bukunt said this morning.

Police charge she had been running an illicit tattoo parlor out of her former apartment at 25 Tolles St., using equipment she bought online, and offering low quality, cut-rate tattoos, at about $30 to 40 each.

Police searched her Hudson home and seized her tattooing equipment on April 29, and on Tuesday, Brunner-Cummings was arrested and arraigned in Nashua District Court on several more misdemeanor charges, Bukunt said.

In addition to endangering the welfare of two 15-year-olds, Brunner-Cummings is also charged with tattooing without a license, and tattooing minors, both also misdemeanors, Bukunt said.

Tattoo shops are highly regulated by state law (RSA 314-A), and it is illegal to operate one without a license in New Hampshire, and illegal to tattoo persons younger than 18.

“Even if parents said it was okay for their kids to get a tattoo, it’s illegal,” Bukunt said.

“Although the tattoos were of poor quality the bigger concern were the health risks,” Bukunt said. “Any time you’re dealing with needles, there’s obviously a risk (of infectious disease).”

Licensed tattoo shops are required to know and abide by safety regulations, including using disposable ink containers, tubes and needles. Brunner-Cummings has never been licensed, nor applied for a tattoo license, in New Hampshire, Bukunt said, and police have been unable to verify what sort of health protocols she followed, if any, he said.

Police have identified four teens tattooed by Brunner-Cummings, but two of the families declined to cooperate in prosecuting charges against her, Bukunt said.

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Inflicting Ink is a Rhode Island Tattoo Studio that embodies quality, consistency and pride, and offers a sterile, safe, comfortable, artistic environment to its customers. Nominated multiple times for the Best Tattoo Parlor in Rhode Island and Best Tattoo Artist in RI.

You may contact them for an appointment for a tattoo at (401) 683-5680 and of course walk-ins are always welcome.

For more information, please visit our home page at www.inflictinginktattoo.com.

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About Our Tattoo Studio and Artists

Welcome to Inflicting Ink Tattoo. If you're looking for quality tattoo's from experienced artists in a clean, relaxed and professional environment then you have found the right place.

Our staff are professionally trained and come from diverse backgrounds, and they love to be challenged. At Inflicting Ink a tattoo is a special mark for each individual and is given its due respect. If you're in a hurry, you're in the wrong studio.

Inflicting Ink is located in Portsmouth, Rhode Island.
We are open 7 days a week:
Mon-Sat noon to 10
Sun noon to 8

Stop in for a visit or make an appointment by calling 401.683.5680

And check out our state-of-the-art, fully functional and self-contained traveling tattoo truck at: http://inflictinginktravelingtattoo.com/

We also specialize in LASER TATTOO REMOVAL!

Jeff Goyette Bio

Jeff Goyette was born and raised in Massachusetts where tattooing was illegal, and to this day is only allowed on a per community basis, with each community deciding for themselves whether to allow it or not. Jeff still wanted to be a tattoo artist, and so learned his trade and took it on the road with the tattoo tour where he continued his tattoo education through coursework and tour experience.

In 1993 Jeff opened Inflicting Ink Tattoo Studio in Portsmouth RI as a way to get out of touring and establish some roots in the community. He has been in this location for 17 years. After a few years in the shop however, he wanted to use his traveling experience to be able to bring tattooing to people who might not have the chance to get to a brick-and-mortar shop.

So he built the Inflicting Ink Traveling Tattoo truck, over 73 feet of truck housing a state of the art, sterile, mobile tattoo facility ~ there is nothing else like it on the planet, literally, as the Guiness Book of World Records has named it the largest tattoo facility in the world, but simply has no category to place it in.

The truck travels to fairs, events, concerts, and even does private parties, drawing large crowds and those who do not have access to a local tattoo studio for their body art. Jeff loves when he can give back to a community, and often simply brings the truck to draw in numbers at charity events whenever possible, whether any tattooing will be done or not.

He and his artists model their work on the belief that a customer should always feel that they have received a quality piece of art, that the work is consistent, and that they can be proud of their tattoo as well as where it came from.