Tulsa massage therapist arrested and accused of sexually abusing two women

Tulsa police have arrested a massage therapist accused of sexually assaulting two women during massages at a spa near 91st Street and Memorial Drive. Authorities say one woman was attacked in May and the other earlier this month.

According to an affidavit, an employee complained to spa management about therapist Wesley Cole in February. Special Victims Unit investigators are urging all other potential victims to report the incident to police.

Cole was arrested after a woman reported earlier this month that she was sexually assaulted during her appointment at Spa Lux. According to the affidavit, a victim reported a similar assault online in May, but there was not enough information at the time to launch an investigation.

“Given that sexual assaults are so rarely reported, it is important to report them. What we see in sexual assault investigations is that if there is one victim, the likelihood that there is another victim is extremely high,” said Lt. Darin Ehrenrich of the Tulsa Police Department's Special Victims Unit.

In the most recent incident, the woman told police Cole pulled her hair, grabbed her by the neck and molested her. “Mr. Cole is a large man. He is 6'3″ and weighs over 200 pounds. He can be an imposing presence, especially in a situation where he has power and control over someone, like a massage therapist over his client,” Ehrenrich said.

Taras Tikhomirov, the owner and manager of Spa Lux, questioned why the first victim did not notify the spa of the incident in May and why police did not intervene then. Tikhomirov said Spa Lux was concerned about the safety of its customers and reacted immediately by firing Cole after the second victim reported the assault and gave police all the necessary information.

“As a company, we care not only about our reputation and the quality of our services, but first and foremost about the safety of our customers. We absolutely want justice. We are currently cooperating with the ongoing investigations, as this is in the interests of our customers and our reputation,” Tikhomirov said.

Ehrenrich explained that victims of unexpected sexual assault may experience mental breakdown due to fear and confusion.

The affidavit also states that two employees told police they informed spa management about Cole's inappropriate massage practices, one in February and another in early August.

Cole is charged with two counts of aggravated felonies. News On 6 reached out to the spa and Cole's attorney but received no response.