PSU Aniciete

Portland State University's Millar Library. Merlin keywords SS08PSU Date photographed: August 13, 2008.

(John M. Vincent/File photo)

A man who talked a Portland State University student into a foot massage at the campus library -- then grabbed her feet and tried to continue when she asked him to stop -- has been sentenced to 180 days in jail and ordered to refrain making similar offers to strangers.

Thomas Matthew Jonas, 25, approached the 21-year-old student on June 25, 2014, while she was studying at the university's Millar Library, she said. He told her he was in massage school and needed practice. She reluctantly agreed to let him massage her feet, but when Jonas laid on the floor and put his nose within an inch of her toes as he rubbed her feet, she wanted out fast.

She tugged her feet away and told Jonas “stop” and “no,” according to court papers filed by the prosecution.

Thomas Jonas

“She stated that Jonas grabbed onto her feet, pulled them back to his face and said ‘just 20 more seconds,’” according to a prosecutor’s written summary of the case.

The victim kicked free, gathered her belongings in a hurry and left -- but not before she noticed Jonas was sexually aroused, according to the summary.

She tracked down a campus security officer, who pulled a still of Jonas leaving the library from surveillance video. The officer then posted Jonas’ photo to a PSU alert page -- prompting a few people to identify Jonas, who was staying with a friend in Portland was a Salem resident.

Among those who recognized Jonas was a Eugene police detective who recognized Jonas. He was convicted of harassment for an almost identical incident at a University of Oregon library in October 2013, said Multnomah County deputy district attorney Anna Fuller. He was on probation at the time of the PSU incident, Fuller said.

After a two-day trial into the PSU incident, a Multnomah County Circuit Court jury earlier this month found Jonas guilty of two misdemeanors -- harassment under state law and prohibited offensive physical contact under Portland City Code.

He was sentenced to the jail time, the massage prohibition and told to stay out of libraries. He also must complete sex-offender treatment.

Jonas had already served 170 days in Multnomah County jail at the time he was convicted. He has since finished that jail sentence.

-- Aimee Green

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