GUILDERLAND — An employee of Bally Total Fitness at Crossgates Mall was arrested Saturday on sexual abuse charges leading more women to come forward with similar allegations, according to Guilderland Police.

James G. Carter, 20, was arrested by Guilderland Police for locking himself in a restroom at the mall with a client last Thursday evening and forcibly touching the woman, according to a police statement.

Carter is currently being charged with third-degree sexual abuse, second-degree unlawful imprisonment, and forcible touching — all misdemeanors. But Guilderland Police investigator John Tashjian says more charges are expected to follow.
"Two or three other people have come forward since the beginning of the investigation," said Tashjian, who is handling the case. "We plan on additional charges and upgrading a charge to a felony."

Following the arrest on Saturday, several other women called Guilderland Police after they saw Carter’s picture on the television news and they claimed similar incidents happened to them, Tashjian said.

Tashjian told The Enterprise this week that he does not believe Carter and the Bally’s client knew each other personally, but added that Carter "may have seen her working out there."

Guilderland Police say that the woman called them last Thursday night following an earlier incident that she said occurred in the rear restroom of Bally Total Fitness in the mall.
"Our victim was working out at Bally’s and he wanted to give her a ‘body assessment,’" Tashjian said, referring to a type of body-muscle ratio assessment.
"She didn’t know that he wasn’t a trainer," Tashjian continued. "She went in the restroom and he followed her in and locked the door behind him and began groping her."
A police statement also says that Carter "attempted to force himself on the female client" after touching her. Tashjian described Carter’s job as being in "sales," and said that he is not a gym instructor.

Bally’s, which is located in the mall’s lower-level, did not return a call for comment.
"The owner of Bally’s has been cooperative with us through the investigation," said Tashjian.

Since the case is currently under investigation, Tashjian would not comment on the details of the new sexual abuse allegations against Carter.

The new charges will be brought when Carter returns to Guilderland Town Court today (Thursday) at 5:30 p.m. He was arraigned by Guilderland town judge, John W. Bailey, and remanded to Albany County’s jail on $3,000 bail.

Tashjian said as the police continue to investigate they are asking anyone with additional information or anyone who has had similar experiences at Bally’s to call at 356-1501.