Temecula Massage Therapist Pleads Guilty to Groping Customer

A Temecula massage therapist who groped a female customer pleaded guilty today to a misdemeanor charge of lewd conduct and was immediately sentenced to five years probation.

Evan Michael Darrow, 34, of Homeland was arrested in February, after the woman told Riverside County sheriff's investigators that he had touched her inappropriately during a massage.

During a status hearing at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, the prosecution and defense informed Riverside County Superior Court Judge Raquel Marquez that a plea deal had been reached.

Under the agreement, which Marquez certified, Darrow pleaded guilty to a single count of lewd conduct instead of the originally filed charge of sexual battery, sparing him from having to register as a sex offender under state law.

In addition to imposing probation on the defendant, Marquez ordered him to spend two months in a sheriff's work release program, performing community service.

According to sheriff's officials, the crime occurred on Feb. 15 at the Massage Green Spa at 31940 Temecula Parkway, where a woman was receiving a rub- down from Darrow.

"The investigation revealed that ... the suspect inappropriately touched the victim several times in a sexual manner," according to a sheriff's department statement.

Deputies arrested Darrow that night after questioning him.

Court records do not indicate any prior criminal history on the part of the defendant.

—City News Service