BOSTON, May 25, 2017— A Boston massage therapist was arraigned today on charges he assaulted a female client of a Logan Airport massage studio, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said today. 

DARNELL E. WILLIAMS, 29, was arraigned this afternoon in East Boston Municipal Court on a charge of rape in connection with the May 22 assault.  Assistant District Attorney Caroline Humphrey requested bail of $15,000; a judge imposed $5,000 bail after Williams walked into court on his own accord.  In the even he posts that amount, Williams is ordered to wear a GPS monitor, remain on home confinement, stay away and have no contact with the victim, report the allegations against him to the state licensing board, surrender his massage license, and not work as a massage therapist while the case against him is pending.

According to prosecutors, Williams was working as a massage therapist at a massage studio located inside Terminal B of Logan Airport on May 22.  The victim, who was in the terminal awaiting a return flight to her home state, received a massage from Williams, during which Williams is alleged to have sexually assaulted the woman.  She disclosed the assault to a family member upon her return home and contacted Massachusetts State Police. 

Troopers identified Williams as the employee who was working at the time of the assault and matched the physical description provided by the victim.  During an interview, Williams allegedly made statements incriminating himself in the assault, prosecutors said. Sexual assault can happen to anyone. While the victims of any crime are asked to call 911 in an emergency, survivors of sexual violence can also call their local rape crisis center for free and confidential services and to discuss their options. Support is available for all survivors of sexual violence, regardless of whether they wish to take part in a criminal prosecution. Services by city and town can be found at www.janedoe.org/find_help/search. 

In Suffolk County, the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center offers a free and confidential 24-hour hotline at 800-841-8371. The Boston Area Rape Crisis Center provides medical accompaniment and many other free services to victims of rape and sexual assault. Suffolk victim-witness advocates can assist in referrals to BARCC and a wide array of non-profit service providers who can offer additional support and services.

Anne Kelley-McCarthy is the DA’s assigned victim-witness advocate.  Williams was represented for bail purposes only by Tracy Firicano.  He returns to court June 1.

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All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.