A former massage therapist at Trump National Doral has entered a guilty plea to charges of felony battery after accusations arose of sexually abusing a 17-year-old boy during a massage session. Yasmina Ponce Rodriguez, age 56, was initially charged with lewd and lascivious touching of a minor. However, court records now indicate she will be placed on probation for a term of five years, without having to serve additional jail time, as per NBC Miami.
According to the details reported by Local 10, the incident occurred on March 1, 2025, when Rodriguez allegedly exposed the teenager's genitals during a massage and began to inappropriately touch him. The teen responded by stopping Rodriguez's actions. It is reported that he later confided in his mother and girlfriend about the incident and decided to report the matter to the authorities, leading to Rodriguez's arrest on the same day.
The teenager, a club member at the resort and a frequent visitor of the spa, had received massages from Ponce Rodriguez before, but this event evidently marked a grave breach of trust and professional conduct. Following her arrest, Rodriguez denied the allegations but faced an emergency suspension of her massage therapy license by Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo. As per the plea deal secured, Rodriguez avoids trial and potential imprisonment but will be closely monitored during her probation period which will last until January 2031.
"This assault was painful, confusing, and something no child should ever have to endure, especially in a place like the Trump National Doral Spa. Hearing my perpetrator plead guilty made me feel seen and believed. The pain doesn’t disappear, but this outcome validates my truth," disclosed the victim in a statement shared through his attorneys at Horowitz Law. "And to those saying this is 'okay' because I’m male, let me be clear. Abuse is abuse is abuse and minimizing it because of gender only adds to the harm. No one should be violated this way. I’m focused on healing and moving forward," the statement further elaborated according to NBC Miami. Horowitz Law is known for representing victims in multiple sexual assault cases against massage therapists charged with inappropriate conduct with clients.
The case has drawn some attention to the protocols and policies in place at spas and massage therapy establishments to prevent such incidents from occurring. As the legal proceedings come to a close, the focus for the young survivor now shifts to the healing process and efforts to move beyond the traumatic experience.
