A Vancouver massage therapist filed a motion Friday to withdraw his guilty plea in a case that alleges he made unwanted sexual contact with more than a dozen clients.
Valentin Delgado, 41, faces 10 counts of fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation, three counts of indecent liberties and bail jumping.
He entered a guilty plea on July 14, but filed a motion Friday to withdraw that plea and asked the court for a new attorney.
Clark County Judge Robert Lewis accepted the motion and assigned Delgado a new attorney, Sean Downs.
An evidentiary hearing, in which Delgado will have to prove to the court that certain grounds exist to withdraw the plea, will be scheduled at a review hearing on Oct. 12.
Common arguments for those grounds include the defendant claiming they were misled, they misunderstood, had ineffective council or a prosecutor breached a plea agreement, Deputy Prosecuting Attorney James Smith explained.
Several victims, who are all female, reported having their vaginal areas touched and in some cases their breasts or buttocks massaged during their sessions, which 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 initially appeared in court April 2015 on allegations that he had unwanted sexual contact with three clients. While out of custody on supervised release, Delgado did not appear for his arraignment and a warrant was issued. He was arrested four months later in El Centro, Calif.
More massage clients came forward while Delgado was out of the area, also reporting they were inappropriately touched, according to court documents.
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.
