MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Andrew Crosby, a Memphis businessman who had been indicted for sexual battery and previously accused of indecent exposure in separate cases, pleaded guilty to assault charges Friday morning.
In June 2021, Crosby was indicted on two felony counts of sexual battery after claims that he inappropriately touched two women at a Collierville medical spa. Crosby pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor assault Friday. He received a sentence of two years of diversion, meaning if he fulfills certain probationary requirements, he can have the charges erased from his record.
The requirements include weekly therapy, drug tests and Alcoholics Anonymous meetings.
According to Shelby County Assistant District Attorney Lessie Rainey, the victims included an employee and a customer at the spa. Rainey told the court Crosby rubbed the customer’s thigh, bottom and hip while sitting next to her in the waiting room.
She said Crosby grabbed the the employee’s behind while she was administering Botox treatment.
Crosby will be sentenced to two years of diversion and will have probation conditions to meet. If Crosby meets those conditions, the assault charges will be dropped at the end.
This is not the first time Crosby has been accused of inappropriate behavior.
In May of 2020, Crosby was charged with indecent exposure after he was accused of masturbating in front of a 14-year-old girl. The girl’s father reportedly told police it happened while the girl was attending a sleepover with her friends at Crosby’s home.
Nearly eight months later, in January of 2021, the DA’s office dropped the indecent exposure charge.
At the time, prosecutors said they had to drop the charge due to what they called a loophole in Tennessee law.
“It sounds like indecent exposure. But if you read the indecent exposure statute, it’s very specific about the age of the parties and the places it has to take place. It cannot happen in a private home with a victim who’s over 13,” Assistant District Attorney Lessie Rainey said. “I know what she said happened, happened. But what she said happened doesn’t fall under the statute the way it was written. It’s frustrating because I would’ve liked to be able to do something better for the victim here.”
That loophole prompted State Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) to draft legislation to change the law. He drafted legislation that would make it a felony for someone to expose themselves to any victim 15 years old or younger.
“If I see there’s an outlet where children aren’t protected, then my job is to do that,” White said.
A woman who spoke exclusively to WREG said in 2011, she filed a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after an incident involving Crosby. Her complaint cited concerns of sexual harassment and retaliation.
“Being the oldest, most senior female in the office, I began to receive a lot of complaints about underage interns feeling uncomfortable by the partners,” she said.
In her complaint, the woman stated she had taken an out-of-town business trip with Crosby, and they had stayed in separate hotel rooms.
The woman claimed that at some point in the night, after she had taken a prescription sleep medication, Crosby came into her room. The woman said she suddenly woke up to find Crosby on top of her. She also said she saw a wrapped condom on the nightstand.
The EEOC later ruled it was “unable to conclude” that laws were broken.
The woman said WREG’s coverage of Crosby’s case brought back memories of the incident.
“So proud of the young girl to come forward and to have her parents believe her. She really inspired me to tell my story. I’m sick to my stomach that in 2010, I complained to the EEOC, I complained in my resignation letter, I complained to attorneys and nothing happened to these men,” she said.