Douglas Steve Chavez, a 35-year-old tattoo artist from Hyrum, has been arrested and booked into the Cache County Jail for allegedly sexually assaulting two women during tattoo sessions, according to law enforcement.
Chavez faces two new counts of forcible sexual abuse, which are second-degree felonies. He is currently being held without bail and faces more than 15 years in prison if convicted.
According to charging documents, the first incident involved a woman who contacted the Cache County Sheriff’s Office in November. The woman reported that while receiving a tattoo in a trailer next to Chavez's home, he allegedly moved her hand into his groin area. She stated she attempted to move her arm several times, but he placed it back between his legs until the tattoo was finished.
Chavez had reportedly contacted the woman via social media after she posted a bounce house for sale, offering to trade tattoo work for the item.
A second woman contacted deputies claiming she was also sexually assaulted by Chavez on Dec. 9. This incident also involved a trade offer for a vehicle she was selling on social media. The woman alleged that during the session in a camp trailer at Chavez's home, he pinned her arm under his arm, placing her hand between his legs and pulling her tank top down. The session lasted approximately four hours until the woman left while experiencing a panic attack.
Deputies attempted to interview Chavez on Dec. 12, but he invoked his right to an attorney and declined to answer questions.
Chavez was previously convicted in 2022 of sexual battery, a class A misdemeanor, following an incident in 2021 where a woman reported being inappropriately touched during a tattoo session. That conviction resulted in a sentence of 75 days in jail and 24 months of probation.
Individuals arrested and charged in complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.
