A massage therapist is now facing criminal charges, in connection with accusations he inappropriately touched a client while treating her for a neck problem. Francisco Fernandez, 39, of Salt Lake City, has been charged with two counts of forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony. The alleged incidents involve a woman who saw him in 2015 and in September of 2016. According to charging documents the woman said that in 2015 Fernandez inappropriately touched her during a massage, then briefly left the room and told her "this one's on the house" upon his return.
In 2016 the same woman returned to be treated for a neck injury. Fernandez allegedly had the woman completely undress, then touched her genitals during the massage. When police questioned Fernandez he claimed to have been working on the woman's "psoas." But when investigators seeking an expert opinion on the matter inquired of the Utah College of Massage Therapy, they were informed that the psoas area was only accessible from the naval area and that it was "unlikely that someone would work on that area if they came in for neck pain."
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