Local Digest: Massage therapist pleads guilty to sex abuse - The ... - Washington Post

[massage]

MARYLAND

Massage therapist

admits sexual abuse

A Maryland man pleaded guilty Thursday to sexual abuse committed while working as a massage therapist in Northwest Washington.

Habtamu Gebreslassie, 24, of Silver Spring, was arrested in September after sexually assaulting a woman while giving her a massage at Massage Envy in the 4900 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia said in a statement.

Gebreslassie, who was a licensed D.C. massage therapist, also tried to engage in a sexual act with a client at that location in August, and engaged in unwanted sexual contact with a client at another massage establishment in Dupont Circle in June, federal prosecutors said.

On Thursday, Gebreslassie pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual abuse of a patient or client, attempted first-degree sexual abuse of a patient or client, and misdemeanor sexual abuse.

Gebreslassie, who has been in custody since his arrest, faces up to 60 months in prison and will have to register as a sex offender for life, prosecutors said.

Court dismisses

case against ex-judge

Maryland’s highest court has dismissed a disciplinary case against Baltimore’s former chief judge Alfred Nance, following his resignation.

The order by the Court of Appeals, signed by Chief Judge Mary Ellen Barbera, said that Nance filed a motion to dismiss in light of his resignation Dec. 1, and that he declared that he would not seek to hear cases as a retired judge.

The order said there was no opposition filed.

The appellate court was to decide whether Nance should be punished for remarks he made during criminal trials two years ago.

The state Commission on Judicial Disabilities found in October that Nance made disparaging and demeaning comments that undermined the integrity of the court, and the panel voted unanimously to recommend the appeals judges strip Nance of his elected post just months before he reached the mandatory retirement age of 70.

— Baltimore Sun

VIRGINIA

Man, 73, who died in

fire is identified

Authorities have identified a man who died Sunday in a house fire in Loudoun County. .

The county fire marshal’s office said the fire is thought to have been sparked by an electrical malfunction in the living room of the home on Taylorstown Road in Lovettsville.

Robert Steves, 73, a resident, died in the house. He had “limited mobility” and couldn’t get out of the home safely, according to Loudoun fire officials.

When firefighters arrived about 8:30 p.m. Sunday, they couldn’t immediately enter the split-level house because it was unsafe. When firefighters were able to enter, they found Steves dead on the first floor.

Fire officials said the house did not have working smoke alarms.

— Dana Hedgpeth

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