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.
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.
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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