Charges: Brainerd massage therapist, accused of sexually assaulting client, repeats crime

A northern Minnesota massage therapist, while out of jail on bond tied to charges of sexually assaulting a client, committed the same crime last week against a different woman, according to charges filed this week.

Cameron Alan Thompson, 52, of McGregor, Minn., was charged Wednesday in Crow Wing County District Court with third-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with an assault Friday at his Tree of Life Holistic studio in the 500 block of NW. 4th Street in Brainerd.

Thompson was jailed Monday and remains held in lieu of $150,000 bail ahead of a Nov. 13 court appearance. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

Back in August, charges of third- and fifth-degree criminal sexual conduct against Thompson were filed based on assault allegations leveled by a woman who also was a massage therapist. He was released on a $5,000 bond the day after being charged in that case.

The state of Minnesota does not license massage therapists, but it is left to the discretion of municipalities. Brainerd does not require massage therapists to be licensed, City Administrator Nick Broyles told the Minnesota Star Tribune.

According to both criminal complaints:

A woman went to the Brainerd Police Department and reported being sexually assaulted at Thompson’s studio on Aug. 18.

The woman said that Thompson started touching her close to her vagina, and she told him “‘most therapists don’t get that close,’” one of the complaints read.

Moments later, the woman told police, he digitally penetrated her. When the two-hour massage was over, Thompson said there was no charge and asked whether she would give him a massage, she said.

Thompson was arrested two days later, charged on Aug. 21 and released from jail the next day after posting the $5,000 bond set by Judge Patricia Aanes.

A much similar allegation received by police from a woman who said Thompson sexually assaulted her at his studio on Oct. 17.

The woman said the massage seemed to be what she expected until he penetrated her digitally. She said he stopped only after she confronted him. He claimed he was unaware of what he was doing because his hand was numb.