COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — An Albany Park masseur already on court supervision for attacking a female client was charged this week with sexually assaulting a new client.
Prosecutors allege Gilberto Carrera, 64, attacked a 38-year-old woman who sought a massage after she injured her ankle in late June.
The victim and a 36-year-old friend visited Carrera in his Northwest Side home about 6:30 p.m. on June 22 after the friend received Carrera's business card from a colleague, Assistant State's Attorney Joe DiBella said during a bond hearing Tuesday.
When the pair arrived at Carrera's house in the 4600 block of North Harding Avenue, the woman stripped to her bra and underwear at Carrera's request and lay face-down on a mattress on the floor, prosecutors said.
During the massage, Carrera inappropriately touched the woman over her bra and underwear several times before eventually assaulting her, prosecutors said.
The woman told Carrera to stop at least twice, and Carrera pushed down on the woman so she couldn't get away, DiBella said. The victim was eventually able to kick Carrera and make her escape, DiBella added.
According to prosecutors, the woman's friend was in the room during the massage, but couldn't see what was happening from where he was seated. He allegedly heard the victim tell Carrera to stop because it hurt.
The following day, the woman told a female friend what happened and visited a doctor. She called police, and Carrera was arrested following an investigation, prosecutors said.
Carrera told police "that he had a problem" and admitted to the attack, according to prosecutors.
In August 2014, Carrera pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery in a "very similar" case, DiBella said in court Tuesday. In that case, Carrera assaulted a woman who came to his house for a massage in March 2014. She asked him to stop several times, and he refused, prosecutors said.
Carrera is currently on court supervision for the 2014 incident. He was charged this week with criminal sexual assault in the 2015 attack.
Cook County Judge Peggy Chiampas on Tuesday said Carrera could be released on his own recognizance if the Cook County Sheriff's Department provides electronic monitoring. If Carrera doesn't qualify for electronic monitoring, he'll be held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
Chiampas said Carrera isn't allowed to perform massages while his case is pending.
For more neighborhood news, listen to DNAinfo Radio here:
