Sex assault trial set for massage therapist

A Calgary masseur accused of sexually assaulting 17 male clients won’t stand trial until the fall of 2020.

Defence lawyer Jennifer Ruttan appeared in Calgary Court of Queen’s Bench Friday to tell Justice David Labrenz a four-week hearing before a judge sitting without a jury would be required for Dennis Baltazar’s case.

Ruttan said Crown prosecutors Sarah Goard-baker and Donna Spaner had indicated they would require three weeks to present their case and an additional week was needed for defence evidence.

Baltazar, 44, who is free on bail, wasn’t present in court to have the trial date set.

Ruttan told Labrenz that while there were earlier four-week slots available in her calendar and in the court’s, they weren’t at the same time.

She also said there isn’t anticipated to be any issue over unreasonable delay in her client’s prosecution if the trial goes ahead as scheduled to begin Sept. 28, 2020.

Baltazar was first charged in April with eight counts of sexual assault involving clients.

In May, police added an additional 10 charges and said 17 men in total have come forward to make allegations against the Calgary man.

Those individuals alleged they were assaulted during massage treatments at the Chinook Chiropractic Clinic and the Movement Sports Clinic between November 2017 and September 2018.

After the second set of charges were laid, police said both clinics were co-operating and that Baltazar is believed to have worked at other massage clinics in Calgary.

Police encourage anyone who feels they were a victim of sexual assault to call 403-266-1234, or 911 if they are in immediate danger.