Woman says she was sexually assaulted during massage. Now's she suing the company -...

[massage]

Editor's note: This report includes graphic descriptions.

A woman filed a lawsuit claiming a massage therapist sexually assaulted her under the guise of giving her a massage.

The woman, identified in the lawsuit as Jane Doe 115, said she was assaulted by a man she knows as Sting Ray Salgado, who is named in the lawsuit along with Massage Envy. Jane Doe said her first massage with Salgado took place during summer 2017 at the Massage Envy in Montgomery Plaza and was uneventful.

Jane Doe wore yoga shorts during her second massage with Salgado. During the end of the massage, Salgado allegedly moved Jane Doe's shorts aside to expose her genitals and rub them on the outside, according to the lawsuit.

Jane Doe "thought perhaps Sting's conduct was inadvertent and quickly banished any thoughts that his actions were untoward because, after all, Massage Envy was a reputable Spa with reputable massage therapists," the lawsuit said.

Jane Doe, who signed a contract with Massage Envy to receive monthly massages in Feburary 2016, got a third massage from Salgado in September 2017 and he was more aggressive. Salgado pushed her shorts aside and rubbed her genitalia repeatedly with his hands, the lawsuit stated.

Jane Doe moved her shorts back into place, flipped over and said "no," but Salgado continued to touch her genitalia inappropriately, the lawsuit said. Jane Doe ended the massage session to complain and was told no manager was available.

The next day Jane Doe called and wanted to cancel her membership with Massage Envy but was ignored, the lawsuit said.

When "Massage Envy Montgomery Plaza did respond, they refused her request to cancel her membership," the lawsuit stated.

Jane Doe said in her lawsuit that Massage Envy has failed to properly train and supervise its employees and has allowed their customers to experience unnecessary harm. The lawsuit lists numerous other failures on the part of Massage Envy and asked that the courts compensate Jane Doe because of her ordeal.

Massage Envy was sued by a number of women last year who reported that they were sexually assaulted at the spas nationwide, according to a BuzzFeed News report.

Related stories from Fort Worth Star Telegram

Massage Envy, which has about 1,200 locations across the country, has about 40 spas in North Texas, including four in Fort Worth.

Officials with Massage Envy did not return calls on Thursday.

At least one woman has filed an assault complaint with police against Salgado, but it is unclear whether this woman is Jane Doe because she is using a pseudonym in her lawsuit to protect her privacy. The lawsuit does state that Jane Doe reported a sexual assault to law enforcement and to the Texas Massage Licensing Board.

The lawyer representing Jane Doe, Tahira Khan Merritt, said another woman has also reported an assault by Salgado to police, according to the lawsuit.

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation lists Salgado as a licensed massage therapist with a valid license that expires at the end of October. It is not clear whether any complaints with the state had been filed against Salgado.

This report includes information from Star-Telegram archives.

Mitch Mitchell: 817-390-7752, @mitchmitchel3

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