In December 2021, Boynton Beach massage therapist, Christian Mieles, was arrested and charged with two counts of battery for sexual misconduct while performing a massage at the Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa location in Boynton Beach. The Florida Department of Health (DOH) also issued an Emergency Order on January 12, 2022, restricting his massage therapy license in response to the same sexual assault allegations. The Emergency Order prohibits Mieles from practicing massage therapy on female clients in the State of Florida. Mieles has been a licensed massage therapist in Florida since December 2017.
According to the Department of Health Emergency Order, Christian Mieles was assigned to perform a 60-minute massage on a female client at Hand & Stone in Boynton Beach. During the massage, Mieles allegedly began massaging her glutes, tan area she asked him to avoid. The report states that the victim stated that Mieles then asked her if it felt good, and she replied yes, thinking he meant the massage as a whole. Mieles allegedly removed her draping, exposing her underwear and bikini area. He massaged her buttocks, thighs, and inner thighs. The victim then became uncomfortable and tense according to the Order. Mieles then allegedly grabbed the victim's ankles and opened her legs very wide which revealed her inner, upper thighs and bikini-styled black underwear. He asked the victim to flip over on her back. She noticed the lights were dim and that she was once again exposed with no draping. Mieles continued to rub her legs and moved the victim's underwear to the side, touching her genitals, and opened up her vagina. The victim screamed "no" and Mieles said that he was sorry. She then also noticed he only had one glove still on, not both. The massage ended there. Upon questioning, Mieles admitted to police that he massaged the client's glutes even though she told him not to do massage that area. He also said that if he touched her vagina that it was a mistake.
When clients schedule a massage, it is to decompress from the stresses of life. They trust that the massage therapists employed at the spa are carefully vetted and safe to engage with the public. It is unacceptable, immoral, and unlawful for any employee to touch a client in a sexual manner. Clients of massage therapists are placed in isolated, vulnerable settings where they can be subject to abuse by their massage therapists. Due to the potential for abuse that is inherent under those circumstances, massage therapists must possess good judgment and good moral character in order to safely practice massage therapy. Mieles willfully abused his position as a massage therapist to sexually violate a woman who trusted him to act professionally and within the boundaries of generally accepted massage therapy and treatment. Mr. Mieles' violation of the massage therapist-patient relationship indicates that Mr. Mieles lacks the good moral character and judgment necessary to safely practice massage therapy.
Horowitz Law has filed numerous sexual assault lawsuits against massage therapists on behalf of clients who were inappropriately touched at various massage salons and spas. If you have been a victim of sexual assault or sexual battery during a massage, or if you know someone who has, please contact our law firm at 888-283-9922 or send an e-mail to sexual abuse lawyer Adam Horowitz for massage clients at adam@adamhorowitzlaw.com for a free consultation.