CONROE, Texas – A massage has changed one Conroe woman’s life forever after she claims her male masseuse sexually assaulted her and gave her herpes at a Massage Envy in Conroe last summer.
Montgomery County prosecutors charged 53-year-old Jose Barajas Franco with sexual assault and indecent assault in November 2022. The criminal cases are pending, but a $1 million settlement has been reached in a civil case against Franco and the franchisee, FBE Ventures Inc..
The victim, who asked KPRC 2 to not identify her and to use the initials T.G., had a monthly membership to Massage Envy.
“I’m fearful. I’m very much afraid,” T.G. said. “I felt him come up towards me. I had my eyes closed, never opened them again.”
The now 63-year-old said she grew to trust Franco during her first five massages with him at the Conroe location off FM 3083, but during her sixth massage at the beginning of last July, that trust was violated.
“He reached in and injected his fingers inside me,” she said. “My fear was that he would hurt me worse if I screamed or kicked him.”
The attack left her frozen in place and lasted an estimated 20 minutes, she said.
According to court records, Franco also performed oral sex on her and when he stopped, “he took 2 warm towels out of a small microwave in the room and told T.G. she could ‘wash up.’”
When she exited the massage room, he allegedly handed her a glass of water and said, “I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did,” according to court records.
In late July 2022, T.G. started experiencing symptoms and said her doctor diagnosed her with herpes. She also reported the incident to Conroe police.
T.G.’s civil lawsuit, filed in September 2022, helped uncover that she wasn’t Franco’s only alleged victim.
Civil attorney Anna Greenberg found another victim in complaint records obtained from Massage Envy.
“Just because a company has a big brand name and a lot of safety policies in place, that that doesn’t mean that they’re enforcing them,” Greenberg said. “Given the predatory nature of these crimes... I think there could definitely be more out there.”
Greenberg said despite previous complaints from other customers, Massage Envy continued to “retrain” Franco.
“He’s a monster ... my heart just kind of stops when I see a picture of him,” T.G. said.
T.G. said she still doesn’t feel comfortable in her own skin, her life has been forever changed, and that she hopes bravely sharing her story will help others come forward.
“It doesn’t matter how old you are or what you look like. These people are criminals,” she said. “Always be aware, no matter who you are, no matter how old you are, just always be careful because they don’t look different.”
Lawyers for FBE Ventures Inc., which Greenberg said operates three Massage Envy locations in Conroe, Montgomery, and Tomball, did not respond to a request for comment. Massage Envy’s corporate office also did not respond to KPRC 2.
Franco bonded out of jail and is awaiting trial in the criminal cases. He has another court date scheduled for Nov. 1.
According to state records, Franco’s massage license is still considered “current,” which means he is in good standing and eligible to practice.