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I-Team Follow up: Massage Therapist found guilty in 1 of 2 sexual battery cases

Eric Marshall guilty of attempted sexual battery
Posted at 6:32 PM, Feb 28, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-28 18:32:53-05

He was arrested twice on sexual battery charges and soon he'll be sentenced for one of them.

The I-Team first revealed back in August, a local massage therapist was allowed to continue massaging "men", despite the fact he was arrested in two-counties for sexual battery on women.

RELATED: I-Team: State allows massage therapist with sexual battery arrests to continue practicing

Eric Marshall has been found guilty of attempted sexual battery in Pasco County. He still has one more sexual assault case pending in Hillsborough.

We spoke to the victim in that case today.

"It has affected my whole family my children and it's been very very difficult. " she says.

The woman tells us massage therapist Eric Marshall sexually assaulted her at Essentials Massage in Hillsborough County.

Six months prior, Pasco County deputies arrested Marshall for sexual battery for an incident at Ideals Massage.

The I-Team has learned Marshall was found guilty of attempted sexual battery in the Pasco case.
After he's sentenced, he'll face his sexual assault charge in Hillsborough.

Reporter: "What would you like to see happen to this man?"
Hillsborough victim: "I want him to see him pay the price and i think even if he gets the mandatory 10 years in Hillsborough and 5 years in Dade city i still don't think 15 years would be enough for turning someone's life inside out and upside down that's pretty much what this gentleman's done to me."

"No i have not been arrested." Marshall tells us back in August outside of his home.

Reporter: "A lot of people are going to see this what do you want to say them?"
Marshall: "People in Pasco and Hillsborough once this is over with hey come get a massage."    

Our investigation revealed nearly two years after the first reported Pasco incident in 2014, and with two sexual battery arrests, Marshall could still practice massage therapy in Florida.

The Department of Health disciplined him in late June last year, but that was just a restriction on massaging women.  Men were ok. It wasn't until February first this year his license was revoked.

Our original investigation revealed a possible flaw in the way massage therapists are disciplined in Florida.
Watch here:
    
Marshall is scheduled to be sentenced in March. No trial date has been set for his Hillsborough case.

Jarrod Holbrook is an Emmy and AP Award-winning Investigative Reporter for the ABC Action News I-Team.
Do you have a story idea? Contact Jarrod on Facebook, Twitter, or via email at jarrod.holbrook@wfts.com.