A former Omaha massage therapist is facing sexual assault charges following an investigation by Omaha police into a recent allegation, police said.
Roland Nieves, 67, previously worked as a massage therapist at Avant Salon & Day Spa in Omaha.
Officers arrested Nieves on Tuesday after Omaha police investigated a recent sexual assault allegation, according to authorities.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims, police said.
The arrest caught the attention of Jenn Wassenberg, a licensed massage therapist who reported warning authorities about him six years ago, she said.
Wassenberg said she filed a police report against Nieves six years ago following an appointment at Avant Salon & Day Spa.
Nieves allegedly crossed sexual boundaries during her massage session, according to Wassenberg.
The therapist’s actions caused her to scream during the appointment, she said.
Wassenberg reported the incident to Omaha police and filed a complaint with the Nebraska Massage Board, she said. Neither filing resulted in action against him, according to Wassenberg.
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Police told her the case would essentially become a “he said, she said” situation, Wassenberg said.
About six months after her licensing complaint, Wassenberg received notice that state officials had closed the matter, she said. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office had declined to take action at that time, according to the notice.
A search of state licensing records reportedly showed Nieves had no disciplinary history. The therapist later maintained a professional website offering in-home massages, records showed.
Now, six years after that earlier complaint, Nieves has been arrested over a separate sexual assault allegation, police said.
Wassenberg commented about her experience on an Omaha police social media post announcing Nieves’ arrest, she said.
After posting the comment, 10 women contacted her with similar stories regarding Nieves, Wassenberg said.
Those additional accounts have not been established in court, records show. Omaha police have independently said they believe more potential victims may exist, according to investigators.
Avant Salon & Day Spa confirmed that Nieves no longer works at the facility, according to a salon statement. The business said it takes the allegations seriously and is cooperating with investigators, management said.
Details of the newest criminal case against the defendant were not yet available, court records show.
Nieves has not yet appeared in court on the charges, according to records.
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