Tri-Cities massage therapist suspended. He’s charged with sexually touching clients

A massage therapist has been charged with four felonies and had his license suspended after being accused of sexual touching patients at a Richland spa and a Richland massage therapy center.

Kyle Stephen Pierce, 35, has 20 days to request a hearing to contest Washington state Department of Health charges against him.

In the Benton County Superior Court case, he is charged with four counts of indecent liberties as a health care provider from spring 2019 to late 2021.

He is out of jail and scheduled for trial in February.

The Washington state Department of Health on Thursday ordered an immediate suspension of his license to protect patient safety and public health, pending further legal action.

He worked as a message therapist at Elements Massage between May 2019 and June 2020.

He is accused of grabbing the breast of a patient over her sheet in his first month of work there.

Then in 2020 he massaged the bare breast of a second patient at three massage sessions and the breast of a third patient at one session, according to allegations.

He was then fired from Elements Massage for breaking the safe draping protocol and performing unauthorized massage, according to state documents.

Washington state law requires prior written consent for breast massage, special training for the massage therapist and appropriate draping.

In November 2021, Pierce was working at A La Mode Spa and Salon, 1259 Fowler St., when he was accused of inappropriately touching another patient, both on her breasts and below her waist.

He has been licensed in Washington state as a massage therapist since 2011.