South Florida massage therapist, Victor Martin, was arrested Wednesday, June 8, 2022, for allegedly sexually assaulting another man during an at-home massage in October 2021. Martin, age 30, has been a licensed massage therapist by the Florida Department of Health since 2011.
According to media reports, on October 31, 2021, a 22-year-old male booked a deep tissue massage through the Soothe app, which allows users to request the services of massage therapists in their homes. Martin, who resides in Danie Beach, was assigned to the client and arrived around 8:30 pm. Upon arrival, Martin set up a massage table in the living room and began the treatment. The client dosed off during the massage and according to law enforcement records he woke up shortly after to Martin performing oral sex on him without his consent. The victim immediately jumped off of the table, ran to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and ordered the man to leave.
He then called Miami-Dade police to report the incident. The victim also allegedly reported the crime to representatives of the Los Angeles-based Soothe app, which is marketed on Apple and Google Play as "the largest and most trusted on-demand wellness platform in the world."
Detectives later identified the massage therapist as Victor Manuel Martin, a resident of Broward County. Martin previously worked at Massage Envy. Martin was arrested and held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on a $10,000 bond where he faces a felony charge of sexual battery. The Florida Department of Health issued an Emergency Order suspending Victor Martin's massage license on November 4, 2022 pending a final hearing.
When clients schedule a massage, it is to decompress from the stresses of life or for rehabilitation. 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.
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.