A massage therapist has relinquished his license in light of being accused of inappropriately touching a 65-year-old female patient during a massage at a facility in Marion County.
The Florida Department of Health Board of Massage Therapy issued a final order on May 24 accepting David Mendez’s voluntary relinquishment of his massage therapy license.
Mendez, who lives in Umatilla, voluntarily relinquished his license last November.
Last May, an administrative complaint was filed by the DOH against Mendez regarding an alleged incident that took place at a massage establishment in Summerfield.
According to the DOH, a 65-year-old female patient visited the establishment on March 10, 2023 in order to receive massage therapy services.
The patient “completely disrobed, laid face-down on the massage table, and covered herself with the provided draping,” according to the complaint.
During the massage, the complaint says that Mendez “moved his hands from” the patient’s thighs “towards her pelvis” before placing his “fingers” on the woman’s “vulva.”
“[Mendez] placed his fingers on the patient’s labia and stroked his hand up and down,” reads the DOH complaint. The document goes on to accuse Mendez of attempting to “sexually stimulate” the patient by “rubbing her in and around her labia.”
“[Mendez] used the massage therapist-patient relationship to engage, or attempt to engage, the patient in sexual activity outside of the scope of practice or generally accepted examination and treatment,” reads the DOH complaint.
According to the voluntary relinquishment filed with the DOH, Mendez agreed to “never reapply for licensure as a massage therapist” in the state. He also agreed to fully waive his “statutory privilege of confidentiality,” which made the complaint and case public record.
Mendez further agreed to waive all rights to “seek judicial review of, or to otherwise challenge or contest the validity of,” the relinquishment or the final order issued by the DOH.