Crime & Safety

Sexual Battery Charged Against Belmont Shore Massage Worker

Long Beach massage therapist has been arrested and jailed after a client at a Belmont Shore spa accused him of sexual battery, the Long Beach Police Department said Thursday.

Juan Pablo Zea, 48, has been charged by the Long Beach City Prosecutor's Office with misdemeanor sexual battery after the May 19 incident at Dee Dee Thai Spa, 200 Argonne, in Belmont Shore, department spokeswoman Nancy Pratt said via e-mail that Zea's bail was set at $50,000 and that he remains in custody. She declined to elaborate on whether the incident was witnessed.

Zea was an independent contractor for Dee Dee Thai Spa, and Pratt said he may have worked at other massage businesses by the name "Johnny." Two days after the misdemeanor arrest, a customer posted on the spa's Yelp page that his wife had had a bad encounter with a therapist named Johnny. It could not immediately be confirmed if it was the same man, but here is his post followed by the spa's response.

May 21, 2013: "We came in for couples massage and my wife's therapist was not very professional. He asked my wife as soon as he came in "ARE YOU READY FOR THE PAIN?" At the end of her Session he told her "OK MY TURN!(WHO SAYS THAT??)...He smelled of Cigarettes before her session and could not get his oil bottle to work so he basically poured oil all over and you could hear it splash the ground. We even stepped in oil he had spilled. I loved BEE! So I told my wife to request her for her next appointment...YES we are still coming back but Johnny needs a little more professional training. I also will be coming back to your business and request NOT to have "Johnny" touch me due to my wife's experience.  

"I AM NOT ASKING FOR A REFUND BUT WANT YOU TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR STAFF...(GOOD AND BAD)," he added.
 
Comment from Raya V. of Dee Dee Thai Spa 5/21/2013, "I was most concerned to receive both of your letters regarding Johnny's unprofessional behavior.
Thank you for bringing this matter to my attention and I apologize for the annoyance that this may have caused to both of you.

"Dee Dee Thai Spa aims to consistently deliver a professional service to our customers and I would like to state that on this occasion the level of service you received was unacceptable. However, we would like you to give us a chance to try out different therapists that we have at Dee Dee Thai Spa.
Dee Dee Thai Spa is actively working to improve service levels and your feedback has proved to be invaluable."

The spa's website explains a strict etiquette code that it follows, and states the professionalism and licensing of its therapists:
"Inappropriate language and actions
Dee Dee Thai Spa's professional therapists and estheticians are certified by the State of California. All massages are therapeutically oriented and non-sexual. Any remarks or gestures made by a client and interpreted by the therapist as harassment or sexual in nature will result in the immediate termination of the session, and the client will be liable for full payment of the scheduled appointment." 

Police described Zea as Hispanic, 5’8 tall, approximately 165 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes, adding, "Detectives believe additional victims may exist and are hoping anyone who has not reported an incident comes forward by contacting the Long Beach Police Department’s Sex Crimes Detail at (562) 570-7368. Anonymous tips may be submitted by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), texting TIPLA plus your tip to CRIMES (274637), or visiting www.lacrimestoppers.org.


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