Laquan Holland, 40, was arraigned in Cambridge District Court after police arrested him at the gym in Porter Square.
He faces two counts of assault with intent to commit rape, two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person aged 14 or older, and one count each of kidnapping and witness intimidation.
Holland entered a not-guilty plea.
The court ordered him to remain in custody pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for October 16.
The charges stem from an incident on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the Planet Fitness at 1815 Massachusetts Avenue, on the ground floor of a building owned by Lesley University.
Cambridge police were called shortly after 9 a.m. following a report of a sexual assault in progress. Officers found Holland at the property and arrested him at 9:22 a.m., according to a police statement.
Police took one woman to a hospital for evaluation.
Prosecutors Describe Alleged Locker-Room Attacks
At the arraignment, prosecutors said police had spoken with two women who accused Holland of assaulting them.
According to prosecutors, Holland was acquainted with the first woman.
They alleged that he repeatedly struck her, touched intimate parts of her body without consent, partially removed some of her clothing, and prevented her from leaving an area of the locker room.
The woman called for help, prosecutors said.
A second woman heard those calls and went to intervene.
Prosecutors alleged that Holland then touched the second woman without her consent and attempted to force her to make sexual contact with him.
WHDH-TV also reported from the court hearing that prosecutors said Holland knew one of the alleged victims and that the second woman was assaulted after attempting to intervene.
The accusations have not been proved in court, and Holland is presumed innocent of the current charges unless prosecutors establish his guilt.
Earlier Child-Rape Convictions
Court records reviewed by several Massachusetts news organisations show that Holland pleaded guilty in 2006 to two counts of child rape and one count of indecent assault and battery on a child under 14.
Those convictions are separate from the allegations now before the Cambridge District Court and do not establish guilt in the current case.
Holland was also arrested in Cambridge on August 25 on a charge of failing to register as a sex offender.
Court records show the Commonwealth dismissed that charge.
The publicly available records cited in the reports did not explain why prosecutors sought the dismissal.
Planet Fitness Cancels Membership
Planet Fitness said Holland was a member of the gym and that the franchise operator cancelled his membership following the incident.
“Planet Fitness is committed to providing a safe environment for all,” the company said.
The company said the franchise was cooperating with law enforcement as the investigation continued.
The gym operates independently inside a building owned by Lesley University.
The university said neither its students nor its employees were involved in the reported incident.
In a statement, Lesley said its public-safety team works with Cambridge police to promote safety around university buildings.
Cambridge police said the case remained under investigation.
Holland is scheduled to return to court on October 16 for the dangerousness hearing, at which a judge is expected to consider whether he should remain detained while the criminal case proceeds.
