Police say masseur sexually assaulted 1 woman, tried to molest 2 others
BY LEVI PULKKINEN, SEATTLEPI.COM STAFF
Published 2:46 pm, Monday, May 2, 2016
A Bellevue massage therapist accused of groping three women has been charged with sex crimes.
King County prosecutors claim Steven Brown separately accosted the women while providing in-home massages in the Seattle area. Brown, 23, has been charged with indecent liberties.
“Over the course of four days, he sexually touched three separate female clients during the course of their massages,” Senior Deputy Prosecutor Carla Carlstrom said in charging papers.
Brown “also spoke about having sex and told them how attractive they were,” the prosecutor continued.
Carlstrom said Brown groped each of the women, and rubbed his penis against one woman’s arm.
Each of the women gave separate interviews to Bellevue police, who launched an investigation after one of Brown’s clients claimed he touched her genitals during a massage at her home.
That 36-year-old woman told investigators she froze up momentarily after Brown touched her inappropriately, according to charging papers. She told police she then confronted him as he began mumbling about having sex with her.
According to charging papers, Brown had been working for Monroe Therapeutic Massage but was fired after another woman complained about Brown on April 2. She later told police Brown groped her during a message.
A third woman contacted Bellevue police at the suggestion of Brown’s former employer.
Writing the court, a Bellevue detective said the woman reported that her initial session with Brown was uneventful. During their second session, though, Brown began hitting on her after explaining he recently broke up with his girlfriend. Brown is alleged to have groped the woman and pulled her arm against his clothed crotch.
State records show Brown has been a licensed massage therapist since October 2013. A Department of Health investigation appears to be ongoing.
Brown has been charged with one count of indecent liberties related to the incident in which he is alleged to have touched a client’s genitals. He also faces two counts of attempted indecent liberties related to the other incidents.
Briefly jailed, Brown was released after posting bond on $50,000 bail.
Seattlepi.com reporter Levi Pulkkinen can be reached at 206-448-8348 or [email protected]. Follow Levi on Twitter at twitter.com/levipulk.
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