Edmonton police have charged a 28-year-old massage therapist with two counts of sexual assault.
In a news release Friday afternoon, police said they were contacted by two women who came forward with allegations regarding separate incidents that took place over the summer at a west Edmonton massage therapy clinic.
Police said on June 25, a 22-year-old woman went for a massage at the clinic in relation to neck and back pain. Police allege a male registered massage therapist (RMT) massaged the woman’s breasts without her consent.
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The second incident took place on July 23, according to police, when a 30-year-old woman went to the same west Edmonton clinic. Police allege the same male therapist “performed a pectoral massage without consent,” then groped the woman’s breasts. The woman told police she was also massaged close to her groin area without giving consent.
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Both women reported their concerns to clinic management and then to police, the Edmonton Police Service said in a news release.
Jose Martinez, 28, has since been charged with two counts of sexual assault. Police said Martinez also worked as an RMT contractor at a health-care clinic in the greater Edmonton area and provides mobile massage services through a website.
Police said the Certified Registered Massage Therapist Association, a governing body for the industry, has since suspended Martinez’s RMT licence.
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