Customer Complaint Leads to Arrest of Spa Employee in Georgia for Sexual Battery

William Allman, a professional masseur in Alpharetta, has been fired from his job after being accused of sexual battery earlier this year in February.

Allman was accused by a female customer, claiming that he had groped her many times during a massage at his former place of employment Mezz Spa. The next day the customer filed complaints with the police. Alpharetta police spoke with Allman, and according to reports, he turned himself in that same day.

As a Georgia Sex Crimes Lawyer, I will outline the offense that Allman has been accused of committing in today's post - sexual battery.

Sexual Battery in Georgia

Sexual Battery in Georgia is defined by the Georgia Code in O.C.G.A. §16-6-22 as:

A person commits the offense of sexual battery when he or she intentionally makes physical contact with the intimate parts of the body of another person without the consent of that person.

Physical contact with the intimate parts of another person's body means physical contact with primary genital area, anus, groin, inner thighs, or buttocks of a male or female and the breasts of a female. 

A person convicted of sexual battery will be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. If the offense was against a child under the age of 16 years old the crime is elevated to a felony and will come with a prison term between one and five years.

Upon a second or subsequent conviction, a person will be guilty of a felony and face a prison term between one and five years. 

As you can see a sex crime conviction carries significant penalties.

In addition to prison time and fines, most of the time, a person that is over 21 years of age that is convicted of a sex crime must register as a sex offender with the state of Georgia for life. A registered sex offender faces difficulties with obtaining a job, housing, or going certain places in the community.

Practice Note

Felony Punishments in Georgia are severe, however, there are also severe consequences to being on the sex offender registry. Being on the sex offender registry can stop you from many job opportunities and even limit the areas in which you are allowed to live.

Moreover, being a convicted sex offender can ruin a person's reputation, make them a pariah in their community, and lead to estrangement from family members.

We do understand that there are many situations in which sex offenders have committed serious and egregious harms and in those scenarios, we understand rightful punishment. However, while it is important to hear from alleged victims of sex crimes, those who have been accused also have a right to tell their side of the story.

A Georgia Sex Crimes Attorney understands that being accused of a sex crime does not make someone guilty.

There are Georgia Criminal Defenses that can be used in the case of a wrongful accusation of a sex crime. These defenses include alibis, consent, mistaken identity, and of course actual innocence. If you or a loved one has been accused of committing a crime in Georgia, contact our offices now. We can help you today.