A 45-year-old man has been taken into custody following allegations that he provided inappropriate massages to several young boys.
Virgil Larson faces five felony charges related to child sexual abuse.
On July 3, a Bannock County Sheriff’s deputy received information regarding a potential sexual abuse case involving several boys who a neighbor and church leader may have inappropriately touched during massages.
According to court documents, Larson held the position of the first counselor in the leadership of his local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints ward.
Three young victims informed their ward bishop about the abuse. According to police reports, the Sheriff’s Office was informed of the abuse by the Kirton McConkie Law Office in Lehi, Utah, which serves as legal representation for the church.
The law office has shared the information with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.
The victims recognized the suspect as Larson and reported that “the massages were performed on the bare body, concentrating on the buttocks.”
On July 5, a woman spoke with a deputy and shared that Larson had been giving massages to her son as well. Police reports indicate that she “did not think anything of it since (Larson) is a trusted individual with the church.”
The woman stated that Larson had taken her son from their home to his place for a massage.
Upon arrival, they entered a bedroom featuring a massage table, and Larson allegedly secured the door. As per the court records, the victim became frightened and began to pray.
The victim reported that Larson asked him to remove all his clothing, claiming that “skin-to-skin contact during the massage was preferable.”
As of July 9, the number of victims has risen to seven, including one who is 18 years old.
All young victims were invited to take part in a forensic interview at Bright Tomorrow’s Child Advocacy Center, while the adult victim was requested to meet with a deputy for an interview.
The victims shared consistent accounts during the forensic interviews, describing experiences of receiving massages while undressed, with a towel draped over their private areas. Every victim reported that Larson did not physically touch their genitals, but noted that he frequently came very close.
A victim reports a back injury, and Larson extended an invitation to his home for a massage. Upon arrival, they went into the bedroom with the massage table, and Larson allegedly secured the door before undressing the victim and massaging his buttocks.
The victim reported that Larson employed a “cupping device,” resulting in bruises on his back.
Following the forensic interview, the mother of the victim informed deputies that she had no knowledge of her son receiving massages until she noticed bruising on his back and inquired about it.
Numerous victims stated that Larson created an impression of normalcy around the situation, despite their feelings to the contrary. It was also reported that Larson frequently appeared “out of breath” during the massages.
Victims stated that there were no inappropriate discussions during the massages, and Larson would only engage in topics like basketball, golf, or general conversation about the day. One victim stated that Larson had taken a picture of him on the massage table to display the bruises on his back.
One individual described an incident where Larson allegedly took him to Gold’s Gym and exposed himself during a conversation in the locker room.
On July 25, deputies conducted an interview with Larson. Police reports indicate that Larson stated he is currently employed in finance, but he mentioned that he initially worked for a physical therapist, believing that was his intended career path before choosing finance.
Court documents reveal that Larson acknowledged lacking formal education in physical therapy, but mentioned having finance clients who are massage therapists and noted that he has accompanied his child to physical therapy sessions.
Larson stated that two of his family members are dealing with health issues, prompting him to look online for solutions, which resulted in his purchase of a massage table.
Larson mentioned, “Possibly eight or nine people in the last year,” when asked about the number of individuals he had massaged beyond his family.
He reportedly started sharing details with the deputy about a boy he had massaged, who had already come forward as a victim. Larson stated that the victim’s parents knew about the massaging and refuted any claims of contact with the victim’s private areas.
Larson informed the deputy about several victims, sharing accounts that closely mirrored the allegations against him, but he stated that he could not confirm whether any of them were minors.
When inquired whether the victims’ parents were aware that “their children would be unclothed at his home and that he intended to massage their glutes.” Larson mentioned that he believed it was “understood” but did not “specifically have those conversations with the parents.”
He allegedly stated that the massages “were not sexual to him.”
On that same day, deputies discovered two additional potential victims, a young boy and a seven-year-old girl. The girl reported that Larson invited her and several other children to his home for cupping therapy.
On Tuesday, a warrant was issued for Larson’s arrest, and he was taken into custody at the Bannock County Jail that same day, with a bond set at $100,000.
On Wednesday, his bond was reduced to $25,000, allowing him to post bail for his release and transition to pre-trial supervision.
He is set to attend a preliminary hearing on October 1. If found guilty, he may be sentenced to life behind bars.