Belton, Texas | Massage therapist arrested for the fourth time

KILLEEN, Texas — The owner of a Belton massage parlor is facing new charges of indecent assault after a fourth victim came forward claiming he touched her inappropriately during a recent massage appointment, according to a Belton Police Department (BPD) spokesperson.

DeMarr Lowe Thomas, owner of The Retreat Therapeutic Massage at 2150 N. Main St. in Belton, turned himself in to police in connection with this new sexual assault allegation just after 3 a.m. Tuesday, July 16. A Killeen Police Department spokesman said Thomas was charged and released from jail on bail.

Thomas already faces two other charges of sexual assault and one charge of sexual assault from three other victims who have come forward; two of whom came forward in 2022 and another in 2024, according to arrest warrants obtained by 6 News.

On the same day that Thomas was arrested on the fourth count, 6 News obtained the arrest warrant for the third victim. According to the warrant, on June 20, 2024, Thomas ordered the third victim to roll over on her back and then inappropriately touched her without her consent.

Anyone with information or who has had similar experiences is encouraged to contact the BPD at 254-933-5840.

In a July 3 interview, BPD Detective Joshua Tulloch recommended that consumers do their own research on massage therapy facilities and massage therapists. 6 News has more details here. Tulloch also pointed out that consumers have the right to stop the session if they don’t feel comfortable.

The Texas Department of License and Regulation (TDLR), the state agency that regulates the massage therapy program in Texas, has been trying to revoke Thomas’ licenses since 2022. However, while the cases are pending in court, licenses cannot be revoked.

The TDLR obtained a cease and desist order against Thomas to prevent him from doing exactly what he is accused of in the earlier cases – sexual contact during massage therapy sessions with clients. The TDLR told 6 News that they will now file additional cases against Thomas after new allegations from a June 2024 incident say he violated the cease and desist order.

Clients seeking a massage are asked to visit the TDLR website before the session to confirm that the business and massage therapist are licensed. They are also asked to check the administrative order database for any disciplinary action taken against them in the past two years.

Anyone who believes they have been sexually assaulted during a massage session should immediately report it to law enforcement and also file a complaint with the TDLR. You can file a complaint here.