Booking photo for Douglas Steve Chavez (Courtesy: Cache County Jail)
LOGAN — A 31-year-old tattoo artist has confessed to sexually assaulting a female customer, while giving her a tattoo a year ago. Douglas S. Chavez accepted a plea deal two weeks before his case was to go to trial.
According to court records, Chavez participated in a virtual hearing in 1st District Court Monday afternoon, appearing by web conference with his attorney. He pleaded guilty to an amended count of sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor.
Chavez was arrested in Feburary 2021 after the victim contacted Cache County sheriff’s deputies about the sexual offense. The woman explained how Chavez touched her inappropriately while performing the tattoo work.
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 he later apologized for his actions, stating that he went a little too far.
Deputies later made contact with Chavez at The Werx Tattoo Studio. He refused to answer any questions and requested an attorney, before being taken into custody.
Chavez was originally charged with forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony. The case was scheduled for a two-day jury trial, March 30-31.
Chavez is scheduled to be sentenced April 25. He is currently out of jail on pretrial supervision and could face up to one year in jail.
will@cvradio.com