Monmouth massage therapist accused of sexual contact with clients - Asbury Park Press

[massage]

Kala Kachmar Asbury Park Press

Published 12:10 p.m. UTC Jul 6, 2018


A Ocean County massage therapist is accused of engaging in sexual misconduct with two female clients during sessions, according to the state Attorney General's Office.

Steven A. Segovia, 36, of Jackson is a licensed massage therapist and physical therapist's assistant, public records show. In a complaint filed with the New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy by the Attorney General's Office, he's accused of two counts each of the following administrative violations:

• Gross negligence that damages or endangers the life, health safety and welfare of any person.
• Professional misconduct.
• Failure to comply with provisions administered by the state Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy, specifically engaging in sexual contact.

The Attorney General's Office is seeking to suspend or revoke his massage therapy license, assess civil penalties for each of the violations and require that he pay attorney fees, expert and fact witness fees, transcript fees and the cost of the trial, according to the complaint.

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A Massage Envy representative said Segovia is no longer employed at the franchise location and that the company is "appalled" by his alleged actions.

"The safety and well-being of clients and therapists has been our mission from day one, and we continue to implement our Commitment to Safety plan, which further strengthens our existing policies."

Superior Court records show that Segovia was convicted in Monmouth County in 2006 of possession of a controlled dangerous substance, the legal term for illegal drugs, and sentenced to one year of probation.

The Attorney General's Office did not respond to phone calls and email Thursday.

According to the attorney general's complaint, a 52-year-old victim identified as M.K. said at her first massage with Segovia at Massage Envy in Manalapan in October 2013, he massaged her gluteal muscles and then put a finger into her vagina.

When asked what he was doing, he said: "Sorry, I misread you. I'll never do it again," according to the state's complaint.

At subsequent massage sessions, M.K. felt him getting "closer to her genitalia," the complaint said. At the end of another massage session, Segovia performed oral sex on her, and later admitted it, the complaint said.

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Another victim, a 52-year-old identified as M.S., had eight separate massages with Segovia from March through September 2013 at Massage Envy in Freehold. According to the complaint, he "made sure" that she scheduled each appointment with him.

As M.S.'s therapy sessions progressed, he asked her personal questions, like whether she had a boyfriend. Segovia told M.S. she could get a massage at his home and pay him privately, the complaint said.

During her last session in September 2013, Segovia massaged her buttocks area and used his fingers to slide her underwear to one side, then penetrated her with his penis. The complaint said when he finished, he leaned over and whispered into her ear, "This will be our little secret, OK?"

Segovia was last employed at Massage Envy in Freehold, but it's unclear if he's still employed as a massage therapist. Public records show that his physical therapist assistant license is set to expire in 2020, and his massage therapy license in November of this year.

Segovia did not return a phone call Thursday.

Kala Kachmar: @NewsQuip; 732-749-2238; kkachmar@gannettnj.com

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