King County prosecutors have charged a Bellevue massage therapist, who moonlighted as a driver’s education instructor on Mercer Island, with two counts of first-degree child molestation.
Charging documents say Mark Douglas Satterlund, 50, groped an 11-year-old boy at his home office.
The boy’s mother told police that Satterlund, whom she had been using as a massage therapist for over five years, offered to teach her home-schooled son how to build a fountain using river rocks. She arranged to drop off her son and pick him up later in the day.
Satterlund told the boy during his visit that they should get comfortable, and he striped down to boxer briefs and a t-shirt, according to charging papers. The boy remained fully clothed.
Charging papers say Satterlund put his hand on the boy’s genitals while the child was drilling holes in river rocks.
The 11-year-old told police that Satterlund had touched his genitals in the past while his mother was in a separate room getting ready for appointments. He also said the man rubbed his own genitals while massaging the mother.
A judge granted police the authority to record a phone conversation between the Satterlund and the boy. The masseur denied during that conversation that he had molested the 11-year-old, according to a probable cause document.
Bellevue Police have investigated Satterlund twice in the past for involvement with minor males – one a 15-year-old driver’s education student and the other a family friend. No charges resulted from those cases.
Satterlund’s former boyfriend contacted police to report the alleged incident with a family friend. The minor did not disclose any abuse during an interview with investigators.
Satterlund took a polygraph for the other case. The test showed “no deception” when a questioner asked whether his alleged touching of the 15-year-old was for sexual purposes.
Police arrested Satterlund June 3 while he was at home with his wife. He was held on $150,000 bail and released four days later after posting bond.
Satterlund resigned his position as an instructor at SWERVE Driver Training on June 5. His massage practitioner license from the State Health Department remained active through Wednesday.
“We have an investigation under way,” said health department spokesman Gordon MacCracken.