Booking photo for Douglas Steve Chavez (Courtesy: Cache County Jail)
LOGAN — A 30-year-old tattoo artist has been arrested and charged with allegedly sexually assaulting a female customer, while giving her a tattoo. Douglas S. Chavez was booked into the Cache County Jail last Thursday after deputies attempted to question him at his Providence tattoo shop.
Chavez was arraigned during a virtual hearing in 1st District Court Tuesday afternoon, appearing by web conference from jail. He was charged with one count of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony.
According to an arrest report, Cache County sheriff’s deputies received a complaint Feb. 8 about the possible sexual offense. The alleged victim claimed Chavez touched her inappropriately while performing the tattoo work.
The woman explained that the tattoo was to go over the center of her spine and end around her mid-back. While doing the work, Chavez reportedly pulled her pants down, rubbed her buttocks and moved his hand forward, towards her groin.
She said it was previously agreed upon that the tattoo would end several inches above her waistline and that he never asked permission to remove her pants or touch her.
The woman told deputies, Chavez stated he was looking to see how far down the tattoo could go, when she asked him what he was doing. She also showed them text messages, where the suspect later apologized for his actions, stating that he went a little too far.
Deputies made contact with Chavez at The Werx Tattoo Studio Feb. 11. He refused to answer any questions and requested an attorney, before being taken into custody.
During Tuesday’s arraignment, Judge Angela Fonnesbeck granted Chavez to be released from jail on pretrial supervision. She advised him to be cautious of any tattoo work he performs, after prosecutors asked for him to be prohibited from doing any tattoo work temporarily.
Chavez did not speak during the hearing. He is scheduled to appear again in court Monday and could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
will@cvradio.com