A massage therapist practicing in Chehalis is facing six felony sexual assault charges in Lewis County Superior Court for allegedly inappropriately touching six separate female massage clients between June 2021 and June 2023.
The investigation into the suspect, identified as Michael P. Frietze, 46, of Chehalis, was opened after a victim reported a possible assault at a business in the 2500 block of Northwest Kresky Avenue at 10:52 a.m. on June 23, according to the Chehalis Police Department.
“Officers contacted the victim, who informed them that while receiving a massage at the business, they were touched inappropriately in a sexual nature,” the department stated in a news release on Monday, June 26.
The victim told law enforcement she had received multiple massages from Frietze in the past without incident, but alleged that during a scheduled massage on June 23, Frietze reached beneath the sheet multiple times and touched her inappropriately. The victim reportedly “stopped the massage by telling (Frietze) the massage needed to be done, and left,” according to an affidavit of probable cause filed in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday, June 28.
Between that first report on June 23 and when detectives referred the case to local prosecutors on June 27, a total of six victims came forward to report incidents of alleged sexual abuse by Frietze, according to the affidavit.
“None of the women consented to any form of sexual touching by Frietze,” prosecutors stated in the affidavit of probable cause.
All six victims reported Frietze allegedly touched them sexually during scheduled massages.
One victim reported “being terrified” and said she “eventually ran out one of the back exits when Frietze left the room,” according to the affidavit.
Frietze was arrested and booked into the Lewis County Jail just after 11:20 p.m. on June 27, according to jail records.
He was initially charged with fourth-degree assault with sexual motivation in Chehalis Municipal Court and posted a $5,000 bond to be released from jail, but the case was elevated to a Lewis County Superior Court matter and he remained in custody.
He was charged Wednesday with four counts of indecent liberties and two counts of second-degree rape.
While Rachel Hunt, representing special deputy prosecuting attorney Kevin Nelson, asked Judge J. Andrew Toynbee to set Frietze’s new bail at $50,000 on Wednesday due to community safety concerns, defense attorney Shane O’Rourke asked Toynbee to set bail no higher than $25,000 with an agreement that Frietze will not practice massage therapy. O’Rourke added that he is working to provide Frietze with information on how to permanently relinquish his massage therapy license.
“I think, under the circumstances, he is unlikely to practice again,” O’Rourke said of Frietze, clarifying that Frietze was not admitting guilt.
Given that condition and the fact that Frietze has no prior criminal history, Toynbee granted O’Rourke’s request for $25,000 bail.
“I think that with the agreement that he not practice massage therapy, that … at least helps to alleviate the court’s concern in some degree, to justify that bail,” Toynbee said Wednesday.
Arraignment is scheduled for Thursday, June 6.
The Chehalis Police Department encourages anyone who believes they may have been a victim in this case or has any additional information on this investigation to contact Det. Jeff Fithen at 360-748-8605.
Victims can also contact the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office at 360-740-1240. Information on the prosecutor’s office’s victim/witness program is available online at https://lewiscountywa.gov/offices/prosecutor/victim-witness-program/.
