WARNING: This story contains links that include graphic language regarding alleged sexual crimes.
JAMES CITY COUNTY — A Williamsburg man, who allegedly sexually assaulted a woman during a massage therapy session in December 2020, actually had his license revoked months prior to the alleged incident, according to court documents.
This all came to light when Shawn Lamonte Robinson, 48, was arrested on Dec. 18, 2020. According to a Mar. 25, 2021 news release from James City County Police Department (JCCPD), on Dec. 16, 2020, a 41-year-old woman reported that she had been allegedly assaulted during a massage therapy session at MassageLuXe on Monticello Ave. in Williamsburg.
What is even more disturbing is that Robinson actually had his license revoked several months prior. Additionally, documents available through the Federation of State Massage Therapy Boards (FSMTB) show that numerous clients made the massage therapy location aware of alleged assaults involving Robinson that occurred on premises. The documents can be viewed through the following link. WARNING: These documents contain graphic language of a sexual nature and are not suitable for all readers. Documents provided by FSMTB.
According to the previously mentioned news release from JCCPD, four more victims came forward after Robinson’s December 2020 arrest was made public. Stephanie Williams, spokesperson for JCCPD, said on Mar. 31 that all four victims were also assaulted at the same location.
A Questionable Background
On March 4, 2020, Robinson was arrested and charged with felony rape for an incident that allegedly took place at a Massage Envy in Chesterfield, Va. on Feb. 14, 2018, according to the Virginia Judiciary Online Class Information System.
Robinson was indicted on March 17, 2021 on 14 counts of aggravated sexual battery, three counts of practicing without a license, two counts of digital penetration and four counts of assault and battery, according to the JCCPD.
The charges were reduced in July 2020, and he was found guilty of misdemeanor sexual battery and was sentenced to 12 months in jail, but only served four.
There are more disturbing details to this case. According to Carolina Walker, human resources manager for MassageLuXe, a background check was done on Robinson at the time of hire on Aug. 13, 2020. On Mar. 31, she said in an email statement to WYDaily that the report came back clean.
“On his application he listed that he worked as an Independent Contractor in Richmond from April 2018 to present,” Walker wrote. “He also mentioned that from Jan 2020 to March 2020 he worked for Crystal Spa and Nails in Petersburg as well as Fitt RVA and total Hair and Spa in Sandon VA, while working as an independent contractor.”
Walker added that, at the time of hire, Robinson provided a current massage therapy license.
Walker also said that MassageLuxe performs background checks on all new hires.
“Upon receiving the allegation, we immediately terminated Mr. Robinson. We are fully cooperating with the police department,” Walker wrote. “Unfortunately, we are unable to further discuss this matter due to the fact that this case is under police investigation and potentially in litigation,” she said at the end of the statement in her email.
It is also unclear when MassageLuXe was notified of the allegations.
Walker did not respond to follow up questions from WYDaily after numerous requests.
In April 2017, Robinson first submitted his application to practice massage therapy in Virginia. Though he passed the examination, he was called before the Virginia Board of Nursing in September 2017 for falsely answering ‘no’ to the question of whether he had been convicted of felony or misdemeanor charges, according to Virginia Department of Health documents.
According to the above linked documents, Robinson had in fact been convicted of four prior misdemeanors between 1998 and 2005, including carrying a concealed weapon in 2000 and assault and battery of a family member in 2003.
But despite violating the Virginia Code, his application for his massage therapy license was approved, and he received his license on Sept. 18, 2017.
Additionally, these documents also show that alleged victims made the locations aware of their experiences with Robinson after they allegedly took place. Walker did not reply to numerous requests regarding this matter, either.
When exactly was Robinson’s license revoked?
On Wednesday, the Virginia Department of Health Professions (VDHP) spokesperson, Diane Powers, wrote in an email to WYDaily that Robinson’s license was suspended by the Board of Nursing October 30, 2020 and a formal hearing was scheduled for January 27, 2021.
“As noted in the Order, Mr. Robinson was not convicted until July 2020 for the incident that occurred in 2018,” Powers wrote.
Robinson is currently being held at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail without bond.
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