Mid-City massage therapist accused of sexual battery of two clients - NOLA.com

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The operator of a Mid-City massage studio was arrested by New Orleans police last week after being accused by two female clients of inappropriate sexual touching during their sessions.

Court records show Norman Nail, 52, was booked Dec. 22 with two counts of sexual battery, after police complaints were lodged in December 2015 and September 2016 by separate clients of his Advanced Healing massage studio near the corner of Canal and St. Patrick streets.

Nail has posted a $10,000 bond to remain free while his case is adjudicated. His attorney, Brad Egenberg said his client denies the accusations.

"Mr. Nail is both factually and legally innocent of any wrongdoing," Egenberg said.

Arrest documents said two NOPD sex crimes detectives were conducting independent investigations of Nail before conversing about their cases and realizing they had the same suspect. One woman accused Nail of violating her genitals during a massage in December 2015. A second woman made similar accusations of improper touching during a massage on Sept. 27, 2016. After DNA samples were collected from Nail in each case, a warrant for his arrest was approved on Dec. 13.

Nail could not be reached for comment. His studio at 4710 Canal St. appeared locked and abandoned during listed business hours Thursday morning, and calls to the business went to voice mail. Egenberg said his client is innocent and remains in good standing.

"He has a sterling reputation as a therapist and continues to help his clients heal from injury and ailment. Even now, he holds a license in good standing with the state board," Egenberg said.

New Orleans police said at least two women clients have reported being touched inappropriately by Norman Nail, the 52-year-old operator of the Advanced Healing massage studio near the corner of Canal and St. Patrick streets in Mid-City.Courtesy of Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office

The arrest warrant affidavit said police investigators found two additional negative reviews of Nail's 21-year-old practice on Yelp.com, posted by unidentified women citing inappropriate behavior. Those online reviews had been deleted by Thursday.

According to arrest documents, the first accuser said in December 2015 she booked a "lymphatic drainage massage," a $100 session purported to enhance the immune system and promote weight loss, according to a menu on Nail's website. The woman told police that Nail advised her in advance that "it was a very intimate procedure," and that she consented to being massaged on her buttocks and inner thighs.

However, the woman said that during the massage, she felt Nail insert a finger into her vagina, and felt lingering burning there from what she believed was a peppermint oil. She told police she initially "was in shock," then stopped the massage 25 minutes before its scheduled completion, telling Nail she had to leave to pick up her children. The woman said she left and immediately called police, then agreed to complete a sexual assault kit at a local hospital.

Detective Claudia Bruce wrote in her report that she interviewed Nail last year, and that he gave a statement in which he agreed telling the client that the requested procedure was "very intimate" and "likely the most intrusive massage that he performs." Nail told the detective he had used a scented menthol oil and that "it may appear that he touched her vagina," but he denied penetrating his client, according to Bruce's report. Even though Nail agreed the woman cut the massage session short, Nail said that "he asked her was she not pleased with the service and that she replied that nothing was wrong."

Bruce wrote that a mouth sample of Nail's DNA was collected. But no arrest warrant was obtained until after fellow detective Brandon McDonald told Bruce nine months later that he was investigating a separate sexual battery complaint made against Nail.

In that second case, a woman booked a massage at Nail's studio Sept. 27, according to court documents. She told police that about 30 minutes into the session she began to feel uncomfortable, as Nail touched her breast and anus and repeatedly massaged close to her vaginal area while engaging in conversation about sex and her number of sexual partners. The report said the woman told police she "did not want him to touch her that way, and felt violated."

The report said that when she complained about the touching, Nail told her he "was only trying to read the signals in her body."

The second accuser also completed a sexual assault kit, and on Oct. 4 a new search warrant was approved seeking another DNA sample from Nail for comparison. It was unclear in the court documents whether DNA results have been returned from the Louisiana State Police crime lab, but an arrest warrant was not approved until Dec. 13.

Nail is due back in court Jan. 19 for a progress report on his case.

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