West Hartford police have arrested a massage therapist who is accused of inappropriately touching a client in January.
The woman said she went to A Matter of Touch, at 920 Farmington Ave. in West Hartford, on Jan. 23 for a massage and the masseur, 41-year-old Chiwanda Johnson, of East Hartford, touched her inappropriately, according to police.
Police said they developed probable cause and charged Johnson with one count of fourth-degree sexual assault.
He turned himself in to police at noon Friday and was released on a $50,000 surety bond. Johnson is due in court on April 5.
“I have known Chiwanda for a while and have been involved in this matter since the beginning of the investigation. My client denies any wrongdoing whatsoever and we plan to defend this case until the end,” Salvatore Bonanno, Johnson’s attorney, said.
NBC Connecticut went to A Matter of Touch for comment and the employee did not comment and closed the door.
The state Department of Public Health released a statement:
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“The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) cannot comment on any case under investigation. The Department opens an investigation on any licensed practitioner it learns may have engaged in illegal or inappropriate behavior in the practice of his/her profession, and Mr. Johnson is currently under investigation,” a statement from Christopher Stan, of the Connecticut Department of Public Health Office of Communications, said in a statement.
