A Bellevue massage therapist who admitted to assaulting three clients was sentenced to five months in jail on Jan. 20.

Steven Brown, 24, pled guilty late last year to one count of felony assault in the second degree and two counts of assault in the fourth degree. The former massage therapist hat Monroe Therapeutic Massage on 116th Avenue Northeast was charged in April 2016 with groping three female clients in separate incidents that spring.

Brown had innapropriately touched the women’s bodies and genitals, pulled down the sheets and underwear covering them and forcing one woman to touch his genitals. One woman reported that he smelled of alcohol, and both the defense and prosecution stated that Brown had a problem with alcohol and needed treatment.

One of Brown’s victims, who reportedly has a degenerative disease and suffers from chronic pain, stated that the assault has made her terrified of male doctors.

“I still can’t believe you did this. I trusted you. You were supposed to be safe…When you assaulted me, I froze and I couldn’t think. I couldn’t move. I was operating in some form of automatic safety mode which told me, ‘No sudden movements. No sudden movements. Get out of here alive,’” victim “H.F.” stated in a victim impact statement read aloud in court prior to sentencing (Note: Per Reporter policy, victims of sexual assault are not publicly identified).

Brown admitted his guilt in court, but did not address the crimes further. His massage therapist license was revoked. Once released from jail, he will undergo a sexual deviency evaluation and be placed on 12 months probation.