Calgary massage therapist guilty of sexually assaulting 11 clients

A Calgary massage therapist has been found guilty of sexually assaulting 11 clients during appointments.

Dennis Baltazar was charged with 16 counts of sexual assault all of which are alleged to have taken place during scheduled massage therapy appointments at theMovement Sports and Chinook Chiropractic Clinics.

The appointments took place between November 2017 and October 2018.

On Tuesday, Court of Queen's Bench Justice Willie deWitacquitted Baltazar on five of the 16 counts while convicting him on the other 11 charges.

• 'No sexual purpose': Massage therapist charged with 16 sex assaults on clients testifies in own defence

In a trial which took place last fall, many of the 16 complainants testified that during appointments, Baltazar at first grazed theirgenitals before the actions turned more intentional, like stroking their penisand cupping their testicles.

After news broke in March 2019 that Baltazar had been charged with four counts of sexual assault, more men came forward.

During the trial, Baltazar testified in his own defence, telling the judge that there was "no sexual purpose" to the touching.

Defence lawyer Jennifer Ruttan and prosecutors Donna Spanerand Sarah Goard-Baker will make sentencing submissions at a later date.