SPARTA, Wis. (WKBT) — A Sparta massage therapist charged with sexually assaulting his patients is headed to trial.
The Monroe County District Attorney charged 30-year-old Ethan Karls with sexually assaulting four female clients.
After News 3 Now’s sister station News 8 Now in La Crosse first reported on the case, three more women came forward. They told police Karls touched, groped, or grabbed their breasts while he worked as a contractor at Peak Performance Chiropractic.
The DA charged Karls with assaulting six of the women. The statute of limitations on another allegation already ran out.
On Thursday, a judge ruled there is enough evidence to move forward to trial.
Karls is free on bond. He will return to court virtually at the end of January.
The State of Wisconsin has suspended Karl’s license. He cannot work as a massage therapist.
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