The Washington State Department of Health has filed formal charges against a formerly licensed massage therapist, alleging she failed to cooperate with an investigation into a prior complaint, according to a recently released statement of charges.
According to the statement of charges issued by the state’s Massage Therapy Program on May 4, 2026, the inquiry centers on Heidi Melosa Eberle.
The Department of Health initially received a complaint on Dec. 10, 2024, alleging that Eberle had “engaged in conduct of a sexual nature with clients.”
However, the current formal charges against Eberle pertain to her alleged evasion of the state’s inquiry rather than the initial complaint itself. She is formally charged with unprofessional conduct for failing to cooperate with the disciplinary authority.
According to the statement of charges, Department of Health investigators sent Eberle a letter of cooperation in April 2025 requesting information regarding the alleged conduct, but the department received no response by the May deadline.
Five months later, on Oct. 7, 2025, the state issued a formal Statement of Allegations regarding her alleged failure to cooperate.
Shortly after that notice was issued, Eberle reportedly contacted the department on Oct. 16, 2025, advising officials that she had been “out of the state for an extended period,” the charging document states.
In light of that conversation, the department reissued its letters of cooperation on two separate occasions—in late October 2025 and again in January 2026. Despite extending the deadlines, the department alleges it has still not received the requested written response, according to the statement of charges.
Under RCW 18.130.180, it constitutes unprofessional conduct when a license holder fails to cooperate with a disciplining authority by not furnishing a full and complete written explanation covering the matters contained in a filed complaint.
Eberle’s state massage therapist credential, which was originally issued in December 2022, is currently expired, the document notes.
The executive director of the Massage Therapy Program directed that a notice be issued and served to Eberle, providing her with the opportunity to defend against the current charges.
According to the statement of charges, if she fails to do so, she will be subject to formal discipline and the imposition of sanctions under state law.
The Department of Health noted in the filing that if or when it eventually receives the requested information, the program may evaluate the evidence to determine whether additional violations are present or if further sanctions regarding the original 2024 complaint are warranted.
📄 Heidi Melosa Eberle Statement Of Charges (268KB ∙ PDF file)
A statement of charges represents formal allegations made by the Department of Health, rather than established findings of fact.
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