A 39-year-old Syosset man is facing a criminal charge after Suffolk County police say he forcibly touched a woman during a massage at a Huntington Station spa in December, then resurfaced in her life nine months later with a Facebook message about his new job.
Arrest Comes Nearly Nine Months After Alleged Assault
Suffolk County Police Department Second Squad detectives arrested Steven Dunn on Wednesday following an investigation into the reported incident, according to Patch. Police said Dunn touched the woman as she lay on a massage table at the Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa on 315 Walt Whitman Road in Huntington Station on December 19, 2025, according to Greater Long Island. Dunn worked at the spa as an employee, and the woman did not report the incident to police at the time, the outlet reported.
What changed nearly nine months later, police said, was a direct message. On September 1, Dunn allegedly tracked down the woman's Facebook page and sent her a message about his new workplace, according to authorities cited by Greater Long Island. That contact prompted the woman to finally reach out to police, who opened an investigation through the Second Squad.
Charged With Forcible Touching, Released on a Ticket
Dunn was charged with forcible touching, a Class A misdemeanor under New York Penal Law Section 130.52 that targets intentional, non-consensual touching of sexual or intimate body parts for sexual gratification or abuse, according to Lebedin Kofman LLP. The charge carries a maximum penalty of up to one year in jail, probation, or community service upon conviction.
Dunn was issued a desk appearance ticket rather than held in custody, and he is due to be arraigned at Suffolk First District Court in Central Islip, police said. Desk appearance tickets generally allow defendants to be released before arraignment, per the Data Collaborative for Justice.
Police Seek Other Potential Victims
Suffolk County police have asked anyone who believes they may have been victimized by Dunn to contact the Second Squad at 631-854-8252. Because massage therapists in New York are licensed under Article 155 of the Education Law through the state Education Department's Office of the Professions — a credential that requires 1,000 hours of approved training and a passing score on a state licensing exam, according to the New York State Education Department — a criminal charge like Dunn's can also trigger a parallel disciplinary review. The department's Office of Professional Discipline investigates allegations of professional misconduct and may suspend or revoke a professional license, according to the Norman Spencer Law Group, and such administrative action can proceed separately from any criminal case.
Those who would rather remain anonymous can also submit tips to Suffolk County Crime Stoppers by phone at 1-800-220-TIPS, through the P3 Tips app, or online, with cash rewards of up to $5,000 available for information leading to an arrest. Survivors seeking support can reach ECLI-VIBES, a Long Island victim advocacy organization that runs a 24-hour confidential crisis Hopeline at 631-360-3606 offering trauma-informed support and safety planning for sexual assault survivors in Suffolk County.
Part of a Wider Pattern on Long Island
Dunn's arrest follows a string of similar cases involving Suffolk County spa workers. In April, police arrested a spa employee in Selden after a 27-year-old client accused him of forcibly touching her during a massage, a case Hoodline covered in April that also resulted in a misdemeanor forcible touching charge. And in June, Suffolk County prosecutors announced an indictment of 10 individuals and four corporations following a broader investigation into illicit Long Island massage establishments, a case Hoodline detailed in its report on the $1 million spa indictment. Taken together, the cases point to increased enforcement scrutiny of commercial massage facilities across the county.
