Massage therapist pleads guilty to unwanted contact

A Vancouver massage therapist pleaded guilty Thursday to having unwanted sexual contact with more than a dozen clients and then skipping town.

Valentin Delgado, 41, entered guilty pleas in Clark County Superior Court to three counts of indecent liberties, bail jumping and 10 counts of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation. Deputy Prosecutor James Smith said that there are 13 clients who were victimized by Delgado.

He will be sentenced Sept. 9, following a pre-sentencing investigation.

Delgado initially appeared in April 2015 on allegations that he had unwanted sexual contact with three clients. But when he was out of custody on supervised release, he did not appear later that month for arraignment, according to court records. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and in August, he was captured in El Centro, Calif.

About a dozen more massage clients came forward while Delgado was on the lam to report inappropriate touching and conduct that occurred in Clark County, according to court documents.

Several victims, who are all female, reported having their vaginal areas touched and in some cases their breasts or buttocks massaged during their sessions. These incidents occurred from late 2012 to March 2015, according to a probable cause affidavit filed in Superior Court.

Clients said Delgado 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, the affidavit states.

Delgado worked at several area businesses, including Bridge Chiropractic in Salmon Creek from July 2014 to April 2015; Estetica Day Spa in Longview from September 2013 to August 2014; Elements Therapeutic Massage in Vancouver from June 2013 to December 2013; Spoiled Spa and Salon in Vancouver from October 2011 to September 2013; and Hand & Stone in Vancouver from October 2011 to April 2013.