On February 3, 2023, Jacksonville massage therapist, Firas David, had his license suspended following a disciplinary action brought by the Florida Department of Health Board of Massage Therapy alleging sexual misconduct at One Ocean Resort Spa in Atlantic Beach, Florida. Firas David was arrested for the alleged incident; therefore, the Emergency Suspension prohibits Garcia Rodriguez from practicing massage therapy in the State of Florida until his hearing. David has been a licensed massage therapist in Florida since March 2019.
According to the emergency order, on November 9, 2022, Firas Joseph David performed a 60-minute massage on a 49-year-old female at the spa located inside the One Ocean resort. At the beginning of the massage, the patient informed David that she had multiple sclerosis and sciatica. David allegedly asked the client to disrobe and lay face down. Mid-through, David told the patient that she was beautiful and called her princess. David then told the patient that he didn’t think the cause of her pain was sciatica but inflammation, and he recommended getting her buttocks massaged. She told him to proceed, and David then lifted the sheet off of her buttocks region, completely leaving her exposed. While still face down, David repositioned the patient’s legs bending at the knee to touch the other leg, forming a triangle. David rubbed the patient’s calf and moved up to her inner thighs. David then massaged her buttocks and inserted his finger inside the patient’s vagina. David moved his finger in and out at least three times and penetrated the client. She then straightened her leg and moved David’s hand away. He continued with the massage, and while the client was now on the back, he removed the draping covering her breasts and kissed them. The patient pulled the sheet over her and froze. She ended the massage and reported the incident to law enforcement. On December 1, 2022, David was arrested and charged with sexual battery. Mr. David was previously arrested just one month before this incident on domestic violence battery charges. Those charges were dropped by the prosecutor but were pending at the time of the alleged sexual battery at One Ocean Resort Spa.
There are numerous pending civil lawsuits involving sexual misconduct at various massages and spas in the State of Florida. Under Florida law, massage therapists occupy positions of trust, and all sexual activity between the massage therapist and clients is strictly prohibited. Firas David violated the massage therapist-patient relationship, according to the Department of Health. 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 client in sexual activity outside the scope of practice or the scope of generally accepted treatment.
Horowitz Law has filed numerous sexual assault lawsuits against massage therapists on behalf of clients who were sexually assaulted during massages at day spas and resorts. 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 at [email protected] for a free consultation.