TOPSHAM, Maine — A Topsham massage therapist faces a charge of gross sexual assault after a complaint he inappropriately touched a woman.
Lionel J. Beaucage, 55, of 38 Coombs Road, was arrested Sept. 18 and charged with gross sexual assault. He posted $1,000 unsecured bail and was released, Topsham Police Chief Christopher Lewis said.
“Lionel is greatly looking forward to his day in court. When called upon to do so, he will sternly and loudly proclaim he is not guilty of this charge,” said his attorney, Tim Zerillo of Zerillo Law LLC in Portland.
Lewis said police received a complaint Sept. 8 about an alleged incident that occurred a week prior at a Topsham fitness center where Beaucage works as a professional fitness trainer and licensed massage therapist.
A 47-year-old Freeport woman reported an incident of inappropriate touching that occurred as Beaucage was performing a massage on her, Lewis said.
Lewis said the incident remains under investigation, led by police officer William Collins. Beaucage has a Sagadahoc County Superior Court appearance scheduled for Nov. 6.
According to the Maine Office of Professional and Occupational Regulation records for Massage Therapy Licensure, Beaucage has no disciplinary actions on record.
“Obviously, when anyone is charged, it’s merely just an accusation,” Zerillo said. “In Lionel’s case what we have is a man with no prior record accused of some very serious crimes and we’re in our process of doing our investigation.”
Zerillo said he had not yet seen evidence from police.
He added, “We would really urge the people who are making these allegations to please consider being very careful in what they say to the police. We urge anyone who is making the allegation … to stop and think before they do it and make sure that what they are doing is completely 100 percent accurate.”
He said, she said?
Never know with this sort of situation, only two people on Earth know what really happened. He said YO! and she said NO! or she said YO! and he said NO! LOL
I would trust Lionel and not that woman, given his clean record. If she’s that sensitive to touching she should stay away from message parlors.
Yeah, this ‘rubs’ me the wrong way.
unless this woman has proof via a video, ect. how can she prove her accusations; hope for her sake she has better evidence than, she said, he said!!! can we say Law Suit!! His reputation is already hurt!!
Smart person you are.
This is a difficult one: If the cops didn’t have probable cause to arrest, then they wouldn’t (shouldn’t?) have arrested him.
But, barring any physical evidence or corroboration, I can’t see the prosecution being able to prove this beyond a reasonable doubt. If I was Beaucage, I would press this until the end.
Not sure why this persons name was released.
Shouldnt the name be withheld for some indefinite period of time ?
And then only parts of it released.
In case someone will be in a compromised position.
Or they have an influential friend in the Town attorneys/police dept.
That precedent has been established in Kennebunk recently.
Equality under the law.
Looks like everyone wants to get noticed…
I have had many massage sessions with Beau he was always a perfect gentalman! THATS ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. Deb Hanson
I have had many massage treatments
from Beau he has alwasy been a perfect gentelman. THATS ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. Deb Hanson
Evidently.
“We would really urge the people who are making these allegations ” Sounds like more than one to me….
“He will sternly and loudly proclaim he is not guilty”? How’s that going to work? Is he going to give the judge a Good Talking-To? “Now see here, your honor.”
I’m not sure that was the adverb you wanted, counselor.
Thats what the non justice system needs to hear. SORRY
Unfortunately, another reason that services involving touch by someone of the opposite sex should be chaparoned. Women don’t even have exams requiring nudity done by a male provider without someone else present, and something as intimate as a massage shouldn’t either. Too many people have histories of molestation/rape/etc. and even innocent touch can be misinterpreted as inappropriate if it triggers feelings or memories of prior experiences. I hope they find out the truth in this case.
In the state of Maine, anyone who is accused of a sexual crime, and they appear in the news, they are automatically found guilty (maybe of a lesser charge) . Plenty of teachers and coaches, with no prior records, have been charged. I think he will go to jail and his name will be on the sex offender public list (along with the million men nationwide) Also, there is a huge difference between gross sexual assault and sexual touching.False Sex charges is the easiest way to ruin a person’s business or career because they are always assumed guilty and will not be found innocent.
and they dont need evidence to arrest them . Just a persons word…
This man was arrested for gross sexual assault for alledgedly touching a woman ?????
Below is the link for Maine law which describes the conditions of gross sexual assault, and in order to meet the conditions of gross sexual assault, he would have had to rape her.
Engaging the woman in a sexual act without her permission is a far cry from touching someone. I hope Mr Beaucage has a good lawyer because this sounds like hystrionics.
http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec253.html
A person is guilty of gross sexual assault if that person engages in a sexual
act with another person
This is not true. According to Title 17A:
1. A person is guilty of gross sexual assault if that person engages in a sexual act with another person and:
A. The other person submits as a result of compulsion, as defined in section 251, subsection 1, paragraph E.
E. “Compulsion” means the use of physical force, a threat to use physical force or a combination thereof that makes a person unable to physically repel the actor or produces in that person a reasonable fear that death, serious bodily injury or kidnapping might be imminently inflicted upon that person or another human being.
“Compulsion” as defined in this paragraph places no duty upon the victim to resist the actor. [1991, c. 457, (AMD).]
So he could have touched her inappropriately, then said “I’ll kill you if you tell anyone.” Not suggesting that’s what happened, just disproving your claim that he would have had to have raped her.
Since the article says “inappropriate touching” and gross sexual assault involves intercourse, I am thinking something is missing from this article. Not hard to believe given today’s media. If he was being charged with unlawful sexual touching, or unlawful sexual contact than that would make sense. Way to get the facts straight BDN. But I don’t hold it against you, it’s the way of today’s media.
Gross sexual assault does not always involve intercourse.
You get naked, lay on a table with a sheet over you and someone rubs you with any kind of lotion. It’s slippery. Perhaps it was a “slip” and didn’t want to embarrass her by mentioning it. Maybe she took it as an assault because he didn’t mention it. Massage students practice on each other and it happens. For them, it’s a learning experience. Maybe not to much for the paying client. Or, he could have pounced on her. Don’t know. Just offering what I have heard.
If she was truly disturbed by what happened why wait a week to report the transgressions? Something about this doesn’t add up. Maybe he rejected her in some way. A scorned woman can be very vindictive. I bet this doesn’t even make it to court.
I never complained at a massage parlor even gave a bigger tip if they were more friendly haha. . My back was stiff when I the massage started my front was stiff when it ended .
Gross!
was this zumba or a massage, I am confused.
She wanted a more thorough rubbing
He said no
She got mad
He got charged