BELTON, Texas — The state agency that regulates the massage therapy program in Texas has been trying to revoke the licenses of a Bell County massage therapist since 2022, according to the Texas Department of License and Regulation (TDLR).
The therapist in question is DeMarr Thomas, owner of The Retreat Therapeutic Massage in Belton. Thomas is accused of three separate incidents of crimes against clients at the Belton location. As of July 3, he's been charged with two indecent assaults and one sexual assault.
The TDLR told 6 News that they have been on "several license revocation cases involving Thomas since 2022".
"While the Department proceeds towards revocation of Mr. Thomas' licenses, we issued a cease-and-desist order that prevents Mr. Thomas from doing the exact conduct that he is accused of doing on the prior cases - engaging in sexual contact during massage therapy sessions with clients and using a consult document that does not include the required information," Tela Goodwin Mange, a spokesperson for the TDLR, wrote to 6 News in a statement.
However, a cease-and-desist order cannot prevent Thomas from working as a massage therapist while the cases are ongoing. The TDLR did tell 6 News that they will now be filing additional cases against Thomas after new allegations from a June 2024 incident state he violated the cease-and-desist order.
According to the TDLR, a state license is required to advertise or practice massage therapy in Texas. All licensees undergo fingerprinting for criminal history background checks, and TDLR is automatically notified of any subsequent arrests. A person is permanently ineligible for a license as a massage establishment owner, massage school, massage therapist or massage therapy instructor if the individual has been convicted of, entered a plea of nolo contendere or guilty to, or received deferred adjudication for sexual assault or aggravated sexual assault.
TDLR took over regulation of the massage therapy program from the Texas Department of State Health Services on Nov. 1, 2017. Since that time, TDLR has made it a priority to revoke the licenses of massage therapists and massage establishments that perform or allow sexual acts during a massage session.
According to news releases from the TDLR, around a dozen massage therapy establishments and massage therapists have had their licenses revoked since Jan. 2024.
Consumers seeking a massage are urged to check the TDLR website before their session to confirm that the establishment and massage therapist are licensed. They are also urged to check the administrative orders database for any disciplinary actions taken against them in the past two years.
Anyone who believes they were sexually assaulted during a massage therapy session should immediately report it to law enforcement and also file a complaint with the TDLR. You can file a complaint here.
The TDLR also has provided some tips for consumers on what they can look for to best protect themselves during massages.
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