- Salon owner faces sexual charges
ACTON - An Acton salon owner appeared in court this week facing charges of indecent exposure and sexual assault of an employee.
The pre-trial conference held June 12 at Concord District Court postponed proceedings in a criminal case involving Acton resident Paolo Marcella.
Marcella will answer charges of indecently exposing himself to an 18-year-old female employee at A Cut Above at 584 Massachusetts Ave., Acton. Marcella, whose business includes hair styling and a tanning booth, is also accused of assault and battery, and open and gross lewdness.
Marcella’s lawyer declined to comment or to give his named after the hearing. Marcella, 37, of 6 West Road, Acton, did not return telephone messages seeking comment.
The employee reported the incident on March 3, 11 days after the actual date of the alleged occurrence. She told police she waited because she was "scared and afraid." She had been working at the salon for the last two years.
The employee stated in the police report that Marcella used "reverse psychology" to persuade her to lift her shirt during the alleged incident. She told police that after she exposed herself, Marcella fondled her and later he tried to force himself on her in the spa area of the salon.
According to the police report, when the employee returned to get a haircut by Marcella the next morning, she said he made sexual comments about her body and that he rubbed himself against the employee while he was cutting her hair. The employee told police she and her friend decided to quit the salon shortly thereafter.
Marcella denied the accusations of indecent exposure and other sexual charges, including assault, in the police report. He told police that he was happily married, that the employee lifted her shirt "without provocation" and that he was sexually assaulted as a child and would not do that to anyone.
In reference to sexual comments Marcella was accused of making, he told police that that type of "kidding" happens at a hair salon and no one is offended by it.
Marcella also told police that the employee exposed herself to two other employees and he would have them contact the detective who was questioning him.
He pled not guilty to all of the charges in an arraignment at Concord District Court on April 10.
If convicted, Marcella can face up to five years in state prison for assault and battery, three years in state prison for open and gross lewdness and six months in a correctional house for indecent exposure.
In 1997, Marcella faced similar charges from another female employee. Police found no criminal violation after investigating the incident.
Emily LaGrassa, spokeswoman for the Middlesex district attorney’s office, said the case could take up to a year to be resolved.
"If [Marcella] changes his plea it could speed things up," LaGrassa said. "But if [the case] goes to trial it could take close to a year."
Marcella is expected in court again July 18 for a pre-trial hearing.
I bring this up because I heard about this from one of my clients who lives in Acton this evening. This guy was my boss before I struck out on my own. Same salon I worked at for 3 years. I laughed when I heard it because I'm not surprised. There was always talk about his inappropriate behavior both to his clients and to his female employees when I woked there. I never had a problem but I also gave off the dont fu[Azure][/Azure]ck with me attitude so he left me alone. There were many times he would tell inappropriate sexually lewd jokes to women while their kids were in hearing distance and his entire professional attitude was never stellar.There's a time and place for everything but he could never remember that.
I dont know the receptionist. Looks like she started a year after I left. I feel terrible for my former coworkers who still work there, knowing just how bad this is going to tarnish the reputation of the salon. But for him, all I feel is amusement that if it is found to be true, he had it coming. Heh
