The state Department of Health has summarily suspended the license of a Vancouver massage practitioner accused of sexual misconduct.
Health officials on Tuesday announced the immediate suspension of Valentin Delgado’s license, pending further disciplinary proceedings. Delgado, 40, was charged April 3 in Clark County Superior Court with three counts of indecent liberties following a Vancouver police investigation into allegations of unwanted sexual touching.
As a result of the criminal charges, state health officials suspended Delgado’s license, prohibiting him from practicing in the state until the charges are resolved. He has 20 days to respond to the suspension and request a hearing.
Delgado has been licensed as a massage practitioner in Washington since September 2011. Until this week, Delgado hadn’t had any enforcement action taken against him by the Department of Health.
Delgado is accused of touching the vaginal areas of three clients — one of whom was 17 years old — on separate occasions between December 2012 and this February while working at various massage practices in Clark County, according to the Vancouver Police Department.
Vancouver police Detective Carole Boswell contacted several massage agencies where he was employed and discovered a pattern of clients complaining of discomfort. Clients said he failed to cover their bodies in a professional manner, left massage oil in places that were inappropriate to massage and tucked the covering sheet into their underwear, according to court records.
Delgado was out of custody on supervised release but failed to appear for his April 10 arraignment on the charges. An arrest warrant was issued for bail jumping and the indecent liberties charges. He remains at large.
After Delgado’s arrest, additional people came forward alleging inappropriate touching and conduct, some of which date back to 2013. As a result, Delgado will face at least 15 more charges of indecent liberties upon his arrest, according to Vancouver police.
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