Massage therapist arrested after alleged sexual assault in D.C. - The ... - Washington Post

[massage]

A massage therapist was arrested after allegedly sexually assaulting a woman while giving her a massage Sunday at a business in Northwest Washington.

Police received a report about 2:45 p.m. that 24-year-old Habtamu Gebreslassie of Silver Spring had allegedly sexually assaulted a client at Massage Envy in the 4900 block of Wisconsin Avenue NW during a massage, court documents said.

A D.C. police spokeswoman said authorities aren’t aware of other similar cases, but are asking any other possible victims to contact police at 202-727-9099.

In a statement emailed to The Washington Post, Massage Envy LLC, a national chain with more than 1,100 locations, said Gebreslassie was no longer employed by the company.

“Massage Envy requires franchisees to complete extensive background screenings and reference checks and strictly enforce our Code of Conduct and Zero Tolerance Policy to ensure guests have a safe and professional experience when they visit a franchised location,” the statement said.

Gebreslassie was charged with first-degree sexual abuse, D.C. police said. Charging documents filed in D.C. Superior Court indicate he denied the allegations.

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