A Perrysburg man who inappropriately touched a woman while acting as a massage therapist will have to register as a sex offender.
Thomas Fong, 69, formerly of Holland, was transported from the Lucas County Corrections Center Tuesday to the courtroom of Wood County Common Pleas Judge Matt Reger.
Fong pleaded no contest to the indicted charges of practicing medicine without a license and sexual imposition.
His victim, who sought treatment while she was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatment, called him a “deviant little man.”
Reger explained that with a no contest plea, Fong was not admitting to the violation but was not contesting the facts outlined in the indictment.
On April 25, he conducted massage therapy without a license and had sexual contact with another, knowing the contact was offensive or reckless.
As a Tier I sex offender, Fong must register annually for 15 years.
Reger said community control was presumed for practicing medicine without a license charge, which is a fifth-degree felony.
The maximum jail time for the imposition charge, which is a third-degree misdemeanor, was 60 days.
Defense attorney Jon Richardson said the policy from the Ohio Criminal Sentencing Commission indicates non-violent fifth-degree felonies are considered probationary offenses.
He said Fong had a massage therapy license but didn’t renew it while he was having domestic and financial troubles.
He said his client was reckless and his actions were not sexually motivated.
The victim called Fong a liar, scammer, a fraud, evil and disgraceful.
She explained how even though she had gone through surgery, chemotherapy and radiation, her time was limited because her cancer was incurable.
“Then along comes you, the final kick in the face. John, you are far worse than my cancer,” she said.
She said Fong manipulated the system.
“You can’t tell me for 20 years he kept forgetting to renew his license,” she said.
According to the Medical Board of Ohio, Fong’s license expired in 2003.
Fong apologized “from the deepest part of my soul. I hope you can forgive anything I might have (done) to you. I’m deeply sorry.”
Reger said the information provided by the victim was very damaging.
Instead of helping her, you hurt her, Reger said to Fong.
Fong was sentenced Monday in Lucas County to 41 months for multiple counts of practicing medicine without a license and sexual imposition.
The 14-month sentence imposed by Reger will run concurrently to the Lucas County case.
