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Additional alleged victims emerge in sex case against Basalt massage therapist

District attorney’s office: Now 21 counts involving 11 alleged victims

Nathaniel ‘Nate’ Gordon
Eagle County Jail booking photo

The list of alleged victims continues to grow in the sex case against a former massage therapist in Basalt.

A preliminary hearing against Nathaniel “Nate” Gordon was postponed Monday at the request of his attorney, but the prosecutor in the case said Gordon now is facing 21 counts. The charges include one count of sexual assault to multiple counts of unlawful sexual contact and invasion of privacy, according to Johnny Lombardi, a deputy district attorney in the 5th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

DA Heidi McCollum said after a brief hearing that there are now 11 named victims in the case.



Gordon, 47, of New Castle, was arrested Nov. 24 by Basalt police after one of the victims contended Gordon inappropriately touched her during a massage at a Basalt business on Nov. 22. By early January, the list of alleged victims grew to eight and the alleged inappropriate touching went back to 2015 in at least one case.

Gordon was released from Eagle County Jail in late November on a $25,000 personal recognizance bond. His bond conditions prohibit him from contacting the alleged victims or working as a massage therapist while the case is active.




The Basalt Police Department posted a message on its Facebook page Jan. 28 urging any victims to contact the department, the DA’s office or RESPONSE, which helps victims of sexual assaults.

“We believe there may be other women who were victimized by Nate Gordon while he was working as a massage therapist,” Lt. Aaron Munch said in the Facebook post.

McCollum said Monday her office continues to be contacted by potential victims in the case.

Four of the alleged victims appeared in court in Eagle on Monday and were prepared to testify in the preliminary hearing. Gordon’s attorney, Sherry Caloia, sought a continuance because she said she didn’t have enough time to look through all the evidence the DA’s office has presented in the case thus far. Plus, Caloia said, she had a severe head cold that affected her ability to represent Gordon effectively.

Eagle County Judge Rachel Olquin-Fresquez said she was “not comfortable” with either choice — proceeding with the preliminary hearing or granting the continuance. She decided to reschedule the hearing for April 22. The DA’s office must prove there is enough evidence to warrant advancing to trial on the charges facing Gordon.

scondon@aspentimes.com