Prosecutors say there may be more alleged victims of a Grand Junction massage therapist accused of sexually assaulting three women.
Mesa County District Attorney Pete Hautzinger said “several” women contacted his office Friday after an article detailing the arrest of 42-year-old Mark Luttrall appeared in The Daily Sentinel and he’s considering filing additional charges.
“I’ve had a number of calls from women ... who’ve said they’ve experienced similar things,” Hautzinger said.
Luttrall was arrested Thursday after three clients told Mesa County sheriff’s investigators he inappropriately touched their breasts and genital area during massages. He was advised in court on Friday that he could be charged with four felony counts of sexual assault.
According to an arrest affidavit, Luttrall often offered massages for free at an office at 607 Road 28¼ and at his home at 923½ Road 23 through his practice, Ancient Arts Healing Therapies. The office on 28¼ Road is now closed.
One of the women told investigators Luttrall told her he needed to massage the muscles under her breast to fix her back pain. Another woman said she felt “groped not massaged.” Two of the three women said Luttrall offered them liquor, tried to kiss them or asked them to go out drinking or dancing, the affidavit said.
The alleged assaults of the three women occurred between April 2004 and last month, according to the affidavit.
Two local massage therapists who were interviewed told investigators that correct massage therapy doesn’t authorize touching the breasts or genital area. Both said they have had clients complain to them about Luttrall’s techniques, according to the affidavit.
Luttrall denied to investigators that he got any sexual gratification from the massages. He said he thought he had talked with all three women about touching their breasts and pelvic area and believed he had received consent to do so, the affidavit said.
Luttrall’s attorney, Colleen Scissors of Grand Junction, couldn’t be reached for comment Monday. Luttrall isn’t listed in the phone book.
Luttrall is free from the Mesa County Jail on a $7,500 bond. He is due back in court on Nov. 2.
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