Charges: Hair Stylist Groped Client's Breasts, Called It A 'Nice Tip'
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A downtown Minneapolis hair stylist is accused of groping his client's breasts last month, describing his actions as a "nice tip" and explaining it was fine because the victim was French.
Thirty-year-old Vincent Sechi, of Bloomington, is charged with one count of fifth-degree criminal sexual contact, court documents filed in Hennepin County show.
According to an arrest warrant, the hairdresser at the Juut Salon in downtown Minneapolis gave the victim a head and neck massage after she changed into a robe for a haircut on Feb. 27.
During the massage, Sechi touched the tops of the victim's breasts, telling her that American woman wouldn't like it, but because she was French, she wouldn't mind.
When Sechi cut the victim's hair, he'd brush pieces of cut hair towards the woman's breasts, the complaint states. The hairdresser would then reach down and grope the victim.
The victim told police that Sechi described what he was doing as a "nice tip."
When speaking with investigators, Sechi said that he unbuttoned the woman's robe and reached his fingers inside her bra, adding that he "definitely overstepped."
Juut released a statement in response to the accusations:
"This information provided to Juut by the police is very troubling. Immediately after speaking with the police, we interviewed the employee and promptly terminated his employment. Juut is committed to providing its guests with the ultimate professional beauty services and a first-in-class experience in our salons. The conduct detailed by the police is abhorrent and completely unacceptable. We attempted to reach out directly to our guest to apologize, as we will never compromise carrying out our mission to all of our guests."
If convicted of the criminal sexual contact charge, Sechi faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison and/or a $3,000 fine.
According to the court documents, a warrant was requested for Sechi's arrest because he has ties to a foreign country.
