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Rogers massage therapist accused of rape

Patrick Hunter is facing charges after a victim says she was touched inappropriately while getting a massage from him at Massage Envy in Rogers.

ROGERS, Ark. — A Rogers massage therapist is accused of rape and second-degree sexual assault.

Patrick Hunter is facing those charges after a victim says she was touched inappropriately while getting a massage from him at Massage Envy in Rogers.

According to a probable cause affidavit, a woman was getting a massage from Hunter when he began touching her inappropriately. She says he became aggressive and touched her in her private area.

The affidavit states she eventually told him she didn't feel well and was going to leave, and he then told her he was just "going off her vibe" and that he had worked there for a long time and didn't want to get fired.

When interviewed by detectives, Hunter said nothing sexual happened, not even a consensual encounter, and it was not an accident because he cannot have accidents in his profession.

The affidavit states a similar complaint was made against Hunter in 2017, and he had a similar response.

According to the affidavit, Hunter was terminated from his position on June 8 and the company is conducting its own third-party investigation.

Hunter is being held on a $100,000 bond and is expected in court on Aug. 3.

Massage Envy sent the following statement to 5NEWS:

"We cannot comment on specific pending cases, but we believe we have established best-in-class practices to address the types of issues alleged, with the help of the Massage Envy Safety Advisory Council – made up of leading experts – and our work with RAINN, the largest anti-sexual violence organization in the U.S.  These and other concrete actions underscore our commitment to promoting a safe environment for members, guests and service providers at each of our nearly 1,200 franchise locations, and we will never stop working to have industry-leading safety policies.  For more information please visit the Commitment to Safety section of our website at https://www.massageenvy.com/a-commitment-to-safety/"

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