Naples massage therapist Ermin Luis surrendered his license to practice massage therapy in Florida which was accepted and adjudged as discipline on May 14, 2021, by the Board of Massage Therapy. Following a disciplinary action brought by the Florida Department of Health Board of Massage Therapy alleging sexual misconduct at Hand & Stone Massage & Facial Spa, Luis voluntarily relinquished his massage license, agreed to cease practicing immediately, and not re-apply for a massage therapist license in Florida. Ermin Luis has been a licensed massage therapist in Florida since 2014.
A Final Order of discipline was entered following an allegation of sexual misconduct made against Ermin Luis when he was working at Hand & Stone Massage & Facial Spa, located at 4868 Davis Blvd, South Naples, FL 34104. On July 24, 2019, Luis performed a massage on a 17-year-old female client. During the massage, Ermin Luis allegedly removed the drape covering the girl’s breasts. He then reportedly touched her breasts and nipples. He was arrested and charged with Battery in Collier County in October 2019. He entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in February 2020. By signing this, Luis agreed that if he does not violate any local, state, or federal laws during a period of four months and completes 25 hours of community services, the criminal charges will be dropped.
This was Luis’s second offense. In 2014, just months after getting his license, Luis was arrested in Collier County and charged with one count of resisting an officer with violence. He pleaded no contest. His failure to report the incident to the Board of Massage Therapy violated Department of Health regulations.
The disciplinary order continues a long and disturbing trend of sexual misconduct by massage therapists statewide. Under Florida law, massage therapists occupy positions of trust, and all sexual activity between the massage therapist and clients is strictly prohibited.
Luis allegedly violated the massage therapist-patient relationship. A massage therapist may not use his relationship with a client to induce or attempt to induce the patient to engage or to engage or attempt to engage the patient in sexual activity outside the scope of practice or the scope of generally accepted examination or treatment of the patient.
Attorney Adam Horowitz has filed numerous sexual misconduct claims against massage therapists on behalf of clients who were inappropriately touched at Hand & Stone Spa. A massage therapist is never permitted to have sexual contact with a client. If you have been a victim of sexual assault or sexual battery during a massage at Hand & Stone or any other spa, or if you know someone who has, please contact our law firm at (954) 641-2100 or send an e-mail to sexual abuse lawyer Adam Horowitz at [email protected].