SAN FRANCISCO—Vallejo resident Nathanael Wells Willis, 40, was arrested on July 21 for allegedly assaulting and sexually abusing an unidentified elderly woman.
According to San Francisco Police Department spokeswoman Officer Grace Gatpandan, Willis had been under investigation since July 10, following a complaint from the unidentified accuser. He was arrested at his place of business, Neuromuscular Massage, on 450 Sutter Street. Willis is being charged with forcible penetration with a foreign object, one felony count of sexual battery, as well as administering massage for compensation without an issued permit.
Willis has denied wrongdoing in regards to the victim’s accusations, and recently told The San Francisco Chronicle that “the charges aren’t true. I have no idea why she’s doing this to me. She’s trying to ruin my life.”
According to the business information for Neuromuscular Massage on popular review site Yelp, Willis “attended The National Holistic Institute … in San Francisco, the largest and most respected school of massage in the world.” From that institution, Willis asserts, he earned a “certified massage therapy degree.” Following that course of study, Willis “went on to [The National Holistic Institute’s] advanced neuromuscular massage school in Emeryville,” where he “became an advanced neuromuscular massage therapist and health educator.”
A neuromuscular massage “helps restore equilibrium to a central nervous system which has become out of balance due to injury, trauma, stress, or poor body use.” Despite these apparent credentials, Gatpandan stated that investors discovered that Willis did not have a valid license to practice massage.
The business’ official website posted the following message, “San Francisco Neuromuscular Massage has permanently closed it’s [sic] doors. We would like to thank all of our loyal customers for their patronage. We wish you well.”
Willis has faced allegations of harassment before. According to court documents, in 2004, a temporary restraining order was issued against Willis after a harassment complaint was filed by San Francisco resident Glenn Davis.
Willis was booked at the San Francisco County Jail and released after posting bail without entering a plea. He is expected to appear in court on August 6.
The case is still under investigation by authorities. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the San Francisco Police Department Special Victims Unit at (415) 553-1187. Those wishing to remain anonymous may call the Anonymous Tip Line at (415) 575-4444, or text the Anonymous Text Line at TIP411 with “SFPD” at the beginning of the text message.
