VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) — A Virginia Beach massage therapist has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a client.
A jury found 47-year-old Bowen Lee Lajesse guilty of object sexual penetration, aggravated sexual battery – incapacity and battery as treatment not recognized in profession.
Court documents show that the victim booked a massage at the Fuller School for Massage Therapy with Bowen Lee on Jan. 29, 2023. The victim had received massages at the Fuller School on multiple occasions but this was the first time she had an appointment with Lajesse.
At some point during the massage, the victim fell asleep and Lajesse proceeded to sexually assault her. When she awakened, the victim pushed Lajesse’s hand away from her and got off the massage table. After paying her bill, the victim hurried to her car and immediately placed calls to her best friend and her mother.
Once the victim told her husband about the assault, the couple returned to the massage school to confront Lajesse.
According to evidence presented by the Commonwealth, Lajesse admitted to touching the victim inappropriately, but claimed there must have been a misunderstanding.
He was immediately terminated by the Fuller School and a police investigation followed.
An expert in massage therapy testified that any sexual contact between a massage therapist and client is unethical and can result in revocation of the massage therapist’s license. The expert witness also testified to the power dynamic that exists between a massage therapist and a client, making clients increasingly vulnerable.