PUBLIC SAFETY

Suspect arrested in sexual assault case, police seek additional victims 


Salem police are seeking additional sexual assault victims after arresting a man who is accused of raping a woman and attempting to rape another at local massage parlors.

Felix Flores Jr., 39, of Salem, was charged Monday in Marion County Circuit Court with first-degree sodomy, first-degree rape, four counts of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree attempted rape, and fourth-degree assault.  

Police arrested Flores on Friday after someone reported a man attempted to sexually assault an employee at the Happy Holiday Spa massage parlor at 1828 Lancaster Drive N.E., police said in a news release Monday. 

Police said the victim screamed and struggled with the suspect, which caught the attention of others who intervened. The suspect then fled the massage parlor on foot. Soon after, Flores was arrested a short distance away from the business. 

Police said Flores is also suspected of another sexual assault July 22.

A man entered the Sasa Massage spa at 820 Commercial Street S.E. and sexually assaulted an employee before leaving the business, police said. 

Flores is accused of forcing one of the victims to engage in oral sex, and the other to have intercourse, charging documents say. 

As of Monday, Flores was housed at the Marion County Jail. 

Police said they are seeking additional victims. Flores drives a late-model, green Chevrolet Astro van with dark windows, a luggage rack, and a rear sunroof. The van has Oregon license plate 267 MMS. 

Salem police on Monday declined to provide more details on why investigators believe there may be additional victims and referred questions about the case to the Marion County District Attorney.

Court documents didn’t make clear why Flores is charged with kidnapping, and Marion County Deputy District Attorney Brendan Murphy declined to elaborate on the reason for the charges, saying the office does not release information about pending criminal matters outside the judicial process.

Anyone with additional information about Flores is encouraged to contact Salem Police Department Special Victims Unit Detective Sabrina Hunter at 503-540-2443. 

Salem police released this image of Felix Flores and his vehicle.

Contact reporter Joe Siess: [email protected] or 503-335-7790.

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Joe Siess is a reporter for Salem Reporter. Joe joined Salem Reporter in 2024 and primarily covers city and county government but loves surprises. Joe previously reported for the Redmond Spokesman, the Bulletin in Bend, Klamath Falls Herald and News and the Malheur Enterprise. He was born in Independence, MO, where the Oregon Trail officially starts, and grew up in the Kansas City area.

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