Massage therapist arrested for sexual assault; APD urges victims to come forward
Edwin Vargas-Garzon (Austin Police Department)
AUSTIN, Texas - Austin police have arrested a massage therapist for a reported sexual assault at a North Austin spa and are urging anyone who may have also been victimized to come forward.
What we know:
APD says that on Nov. 2 at around 1:30 p.m., a reported sexual assault happened at a spa at 11011 Domain Drive.
The victim came forward a few days later, identifying the suspect as 48-year-old Edwin Vargas-Garzon, a massage therapist employed at the spa. Vargas-Garzon was arrested on Feb. 7 following an investigation by detectives.
He now faces three counts of second-degree felony sexual assault. According to county court records, he bonded out of jail on a collective $15,000 with a no-contact order for the complainant.
The investigation also uncovered potential additional incidents allegedly involving Vargas-Garzon at multiple other massage therapy establishments across the Austin area and surrounding communities.
What's next:
Vargas-Garzon will be in court on March 11, according to court records.
What you can do:
APD detectives urge anyone who may have been victimized by Edwin Vargas-Garzon to come forward and contact the APD Sexual Crimes Unit at 512-974-5095 or via email.
APD says that speaking with detectives is voluntary, and support services are available through our Victim Services Unit regardless of an individual's decision to participate in the investigation.
For assistance, individuals can contact APD Victim Services at 512-974-5037.
The Source: Information in this report comes from the Austin Police Department and Travis County court records.