Sexual Battery Reported from Georgia Massage Parlor

According to reports out of Fulton County, a masseur has been arrested on charges of sexual battery, aggravated sexual battery, and aggravated sodomy in Georgia.

Chatari Henegar worked for Massage Heights as of this past week. A woman and her 21-year-old daughter went into the establishment in Sandy Springs for massages and that is where the young girl was allegedly attacked by Henegar during her massage.

“Massage Heights Franchising and the local franchise have a zero-tolerance policy related to inappropriate behavior, including sexual misconduct, and our priority is to do everything possible to protect the thousands of members and guests our franchises serve” Massage Heights said in a statement.

As a Georgia Sex Crimes Lawyer, I will outline the criminal offenses of sexual battery and aggravated sexual battery in today's post so as to provide a clearer understanding of the law.

Sexual Battery and Aggravated 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.

By law, intimate body parts include the primary genital area, anus, groin, inner thighs, or buttocks of a male or female and the breasts of a female.

A person convicted of the offense of sexual battery shall be punished as for a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature. This means that if convicted of sexual battery, a person is facing up to 12 months in jail and fines up to $5,000.

Aggravated sexual battery in Georgia is also defined in the same statute as:

A person commits the offense of aggravated sexual battery when he or she intentionally penetrates with a foreign object the sexual organ or anus of another person without the consent of that person.

Aggravated sexual battery is classified as a felony. A person convicted of the offense of aggravated sexual battery shall be punished by imprisonment for life or by a split sentence that is a term of imprisonment for not less than 25 years and not exceeding life imprisonment, followed by probation for life.

Practice Note

Sex crimes carry a lot of stigma and judgment. Most people automatically assume guilt the moment a person is arrested. But just as with any other crime, a person who is accused of a sex crime still has a presumption of innocence until proven guilty.

If you or a loved one has been arrested for a sex offense, contact a Georgia Sex Crimes Attorney now.