The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department is asking for women
who may have been molested by a Hollister man who works as a
massage therapist in Saratoga to come forward and help in his
prosecution.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department is asking for women who may have been molested by a Hollister man who works as a massage therapist in Saratoga to come forward and help in his prosecution.
“There are possibly more victims out there who will come forward,” Santa Clara County Deputy Terrance Helm said.
He said that an unknown number of women may have been victimized by Kenneth Murphy, 31, who was arrested by the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department on suspicion of sexual battery and an additional sex-related felony.
If Murphy is tried and convicted of the charges against him, he could be sentenced to about nine years in state prison, according to the state’s penal code.
The 6-foot 3-inch-tall Murphy is accused of sexually assaulting a female customer at Harmonie Day Spa on Big Basin Way in Saratoga where he is employed a masseur, the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department said.
The arrest stems from an April 30 incident when a woman, whose name and age were withheld by the sheriff’s department, went to the spa for a massage, the sheriff’s department said.
Although it started out much like any other normal massage, the unidentified woman said that during the session Murphy allegedly grabbed and touched her breasts and other parts of her body in an inappropriate and sexual manner, the sheriff’s department said. The woman told investigators that she was too frightened by Murphy’s alleged behavior to move.
She told investigators that when Murphy stopped the alleged assault, he tried to apologize for his actions, the sheriff’s department said.
When she left the spa and went home, the woman called the sheriff’s department and reported the alleged incident. Murphy was arrested the following day, the sheriff’s department said.
Murphy is currently out of jail in lieu of $25,000 bail.
The Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Department is asking anyone with information about the incident or who feels they may been victimized by Murphy to call Detective Sgt. Jamie Evans at (408) 808-4500.
