The preliminary hearing for a Sunset Beach man accused of three sexual assaults in Seal Beach has been scheduled for Fri-day, July 22, according to the Orange County Superior Court Web site.
The purpose of a preliminary hearing is to determine if a case will go to trial. By law, the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Jason Michael Elliot, 28, was arraigned Monday, July 11 on three counts of assault with intent to commit specified sex offenses while working as a massage therapist at Massage Envy in Seal Beach, according to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.
The DA’s Office said Elliot was fired by Massage Envy after learning he was suspected of sexual assaults. He had worked there nine months.
Massage Envy corporate headquarters issued a statement to the media that said, in part, “Massage Envy is a national company with over 900 franchised massage therapy clinics in operation or in the process of opening. Each clinic employs therapists who have graduated from an accredited massage school and who meet all state and local licensing requirements. The clinics conduct criminal background checks on all potential massage therapists, including this therapist, at the time of hiring. …
“In addition, Seal Beach Police Department had conducted their own background check on this therapist prior to licensing. …
“We take all customer complaints very seriously and have a zero tolerance policy on inappropriate behavior.
“The clinic is fully cooperating with the investigation being conducted by the Seal Beach Police Department. The clinic has also conducted its own internal investigation of this incident and is taking the appropriate steps in conjunction with the police department. The therapist is no longer employed by the clinic.”
Seal Beach Police Sgt. Steve Bowles described the incidents as “a series of inappropriate and unwanted physical contacts” between Elliot and the three women clients.
Bowles said Seal Beach officers went to Elliot’s home to serve an outstanding arrest warrant when they spied his car near his residence. Officers stopped his car and arrested him at 4:37 p.m., Thursday, July 7.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department Web site confirmed the date of Elliot’s arrest.
The DA’s office on Thursday, July 14 issued a press release asking the public to help identify other possible victims in the case. Elliot has also worked as a massage therapist in Mission Viejo.
Seal Beach Detective David Barr, who investigated the case, said the case involved touching areas of the body that were off limits to touching.
“The sexual assault that we’re talking about here is what you would call (touching) your private parts,” Barr said.
He said that this was an issue with touching body parts such as the breasts or vaginal area.
Barr said that in Seal Beach, the genital area of the body must be covered during a massage.
He said a masseuse should not touch any part of the body covered with a sheet.
The accusations
The following is the District Attorney’s Office account of the alleged crimes:
On Nov. 8, 2009, a woman identified as Jane Doe #2, age 33, told the Seal Beach Police Department that she had been sexually assaulted while receiving massage service at Massage Envy.
As a result of the investigation that followed, Seal Beach investigators linked Elliot to that and two other incidents.
According to the DA, 30-year-old Jane Doe #1 was assaulted on Sept. 9, 2009, while receiving a spa treatment.
Jane Doe #3, age 21, was reportedly assaulted on April 29, 2010 while receiving a massage treatment.
Bowles confirmed that all three incidents apparently took place at Massage Envy.
The DA’s Office said Elliot is out on $100,000 bail. The Superior Court Web site confirmed the bail figure.
The DA’s office said that if convicted, Elliot could face a maximum sentence of eight years and eight months in state prison.
