Petitioner: DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, BOARD OF MASSAGE THERAPY
Respondent: DAVID NAZARIO, L.M.T.
Judges: J. LAWRENCE JOHNSTON
Agency: Department of Health
Locations: Orlando, Florida
Filed: Aug. 23, 2017
Status: Closed
Settled and/or Dismissed prior to entry of RO/FO on Thursday, October 19, 2017.
Latest Update: Nov. 05, 2024
STATE OF FLORIDA
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,
PETITIONER,
v. CASE NO. 2017-09262
DAVID NAZARIO, L.M.T.,
RESPONDENT.
ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINT
Petitioner Department of Health files this Administrative Complaint
before the Board of Massage Therapy (Board) against David Nazario, L.M.T.,
and in support thereof alleges:
i. Petitioner is the state agency charged with regulating the
practice of massage therapists pursuant to Section 20.43, Florida Statutes
(2017); Chapter 456, Florida Statutes (2017); and Chapter 480, Florida
Statutes (2017).
2. At all times material to this Complaint, Respondent was licensed
to practice as a massage therapist within the State of Florida, having been
issued license number MA 81226, and worked at Hand and Stone Massage
and Facial Spa (HSMFS), located in Orlando, Florida.
1. Respondent’s address of record is 2238 Raeford Rd., Orlando,
Florida 32806.
2. Onor about May 6, 2017, Respondent performed a massage on
Patient D.Q., a forty-one-year-old woman.
3. Prior to beginning the massage, Patient D.Q. removed her bra
but remained in her underwear.
4. During the first half of the massage, Patient D.Q. was laying face-
down on the massage table.
5. While Respondent massaged the back of Patient D.Q.’s legs,
Respondent brushed against the underwear-covered area near Patient D.Q.’s
vagina.
6. | When Respondent asked Patient D.Q. to flip onto her back,
Respondent began to massage Patient D.Q.’s upper chest.
7. Respondent then lowered the drape that covered Patient D.Q.’s
breasts without warning or consent.
8. Respondent began to massage Patient D.Q.’s exposed breasts.
9. Respondent then lowered the drape even further, exposing
Patient D.Q.’s abdomen.
10. Respondent began making circular motions with his hands on
DOH v. David Nazario, L.M.T. 2
DOH Case Number 2017-09262
Patient D.Q.’s abdomen, and eventually moved his fingers under Patient
D.Q.’s underwear and touched the outside of Patient D.Q.’s vagina.
11. Patient D.Q. bent her knees, and Respondent apologized.
12. Respondent then covered Patient D.Q. with the drape and
continued to massage Patient D.Q.'s face.
13. When Respondent was finished, he stood next to the table and
apologized again to Patient D.Q., saying that it would never happened again.
14. Respondent then asked Patient D.Q. to forgive him.
15. When Patient D.Q. left the room, she reported the incident to
management at HSMFS as well as law enforcement.
16. Respondent's touching of Patient D.Q.’s breasts and vagina was
outside the scope of the practice of a massage therapist.
COUNT I
17. Petitioner realleges and incorporates paragraphs one (1) through
sixteen (16), as if fully set forth herein.
18. Section 480.046(1)(p), Florida Statutes (2017), subjects a
massage therapist to discipline for violating any provision of Chapters 480 or
456, Florida Statutes, or any rules adopted pursuant thereto.
19. Section 480.0485, Florida Statutes (2017), prohibits sexual
DOH v. David Nazario, L.M.T, 3
DOH Case Number 2017-09262
misconduct in the practice of massage therapy and defines sexual
misconduct, in pertinent part, as a:
[Violation of the massage therapist-patient
relationship through which the massage therapist
uses that relationship to induce or attempt to induce
the patient to engage, or to engage or attempt to
engage the patient, in sexual activity outside the
scope of practice or the scope of generally accepted
examination or treatment of the patient.
20. Rule 64B7-26.010, Florida Administrative Code, provides in
pertinent part:
(1) Sexual activity by any person or persons in any
massage establishment is absolutely prohibited...
(3) No licensed massage therapist shall use the
therapist-client relationship to engage in sexual
activity with any client and;
(4) As used in this rule, “sexual activity” means any
direct or indirect physical contact by any person or
between persons which is intended to erotically
stimulate either person or both or which is likely to
cause such stimulation...
21. Respondent engaged in unlawful sexual activity, and engaged or
attempted to engage in sexual misconduct in one or more of the following
ways:
a. Exposing Patient D.Q.’s breasts,
b. Touching Patient D.Q.’s breasts, and/or
DOH vy. David Nazario, L.M.T. : 4
DOH Case Number 2017-09262
c. Touching Patient D.Q.’s vagina,
22. Based on the foregoing, Respondent has violated 480.046(1)(p),
Florida Statutes (2017), by violating Section 480.0485, Florida Statutes
(2017), and/or Rule 64B7-26.010, Florida Administrative Code.
COUNT II
23. Petitioner realleges and incorporates paragraphs one (1) through
sixteen (16), as if fully set forth herein.
24, Section 480.046(1)(p), Florida Statutes (2016), subjects a
massage therapist to discipline for violating any provision of Chapters 480 or
456, Florida Statutes, or any rules adopted pursuant thereto.
25. Rule 64B7-30.001(5), Florida Administrative Code, provides that
appropriate draping of a client shall include draping of the buttocks and
genitalia of all clients, and breasts of female clients, unless the client gives
specific informed consent to be undraped.
26. Respondent exposed Patient D.Q.’s breasts without specific
informed consent.
27. Based on the foregoing, Respondent has violated 480.046(1)(p),
Florida Statutes (2017), by violating Rule 64B7-30.001(5), Florida
Administrative Code.
DOH v. David Nazario, L.M.T. 5
DOH Case Number 2017-09262
WHEREFORE, Petitioner respectfully requests that the Board of
Massage Therapy enter an order imposing one or more of the following
penalties: revocation.or suspension of Respondent's license, restriction of
practice, imposition of an administrative fine, issuance of a reprimand,
placement of Respondent on probation, corrective action, refund of fees
billed or collected, remedial education and/or any other relief that the Board
deems appropriate.
Mw -—
SIGNED this 24 day of Tae , 2017.
Celeste Philip, M.D., M.P.H.
Surgeon General and Secretary
Assistant General Counsel
DOH Prosecution Services Unit
4052 Bald Cypress Way, Bin C-65
FILED
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
DEPUTY CLERK Tallahassee, FL 32399-3265
CLERK Angel Sandirs (p) 850-558-9856
pave JUL 2 5 207, (f) 850-245-4662
|
(e) Mary.Iglehart@flhealth.gov
PCP: July 24, 2017
PCP Members: Wasylyna & Drago
DOH v. David Nazario, L.M.T. 6
DOH Case Number 2017-09262
NOTICE OF RIGHTS
Respondent has the right to request a hearing to be conducted
in accordance with Section 120.569 and 120.57, Florida Statutes,
to be represented by counsel or other qualified representative, to
present evidence and argument, to call and cross-examine
witnesses and to have subpoena and subpoena duces tecum issued
on his or her behalf if a hearing is requested. A request or petition
for an administrative hearing must be in writing and must be
received by the Department within 21 days from the day
Respondent received the Administrative Complaint, pursuant to
Rule 28-106.111(2), Florida Administrative Code. If Respondent
fails to request a hearing within 21 days of receipt of this
Administrative Complaint, Respondent waives the right to request
a hearing on the facts alleged in this Administrative Complaint
pursuant to Rule 28-106.111(4), Florida Administrative Code. Any
request for an administrative proceeding to challenge or contest
the material facts or charges contained in the Administrative
Complaint must conform to Rule 28-106.2015(5), Florida
Administrative Code. Mediation pursuant to Section 120.573,
Florida Statutes, is not available to resolve this Administrative
Complaint.
NOTICE REGARDING ASSESSMENT OF COSTS
Respondent is placed on notice that Petitioner has incurred costs
related to the investigation and prosecution of this matter.
Pursuant to Section 456.072(4), Florida Statutes, the Board shall
assess costs related to the investigation and prosecution of a
disciplinary matter, which may include attorney hours and costs,
on the Respondent in addition to any other discipline imposed.
DOH v. David Nazario, L.M.T. 7
DOH Case Number 2017-09262
Docket for Case No: 17-004812PL
Issue Date |
Proceedings |
Oct. 19, 2017 |
Order Closing File and Relinquishing Jurisdiction. CASE CLOSED.
|
Oct. 19, 2017 |
Joint Motion to Relinquish Jurisdiction filed.
|
Aug. 31, 2017 |
Notice of Hearing by Video Teleconference (hearing set for October 30 and 31, 2017; 9:30 a.m.; Orlando and Tallahassee, FL).
|
Aug. 31, 2017 |
Order of Pre-hearing Instructions.
|
Aug. 29, 2017 |
Joint Response to the Initial Order filed.
|
Aug. 24, 2017 |
Notice of Filing Petitioner's First Request for Admissions, First Set of Interrogatories, and First Request for Production filed.
|
Aug. 23, 2017 |
Notice of Appearance (Justin Chang) filed.
|
Aug. 23, 2017 |
Initial Order.
|
Aug. 23, 2017 |
Election of Rights filed.
|
Aug. 23, 2017 |
Administrative Complaint filed.
|
Aug. 23, 2017 |
Agency referral filed.
|