Sexual Assault at Sedona Spa Leads to $4.9M Jury Award
Multiple women were sexually assaulted during massages at Namti Spa in Sedona. Two of the victims filed suit against the spa and the perpetrator, Aaron Frank Orrico. According to the plaintiffs, Orrico touched and fondled their breasts and genitals without their consent during massages. Both women, who prefer to remain anonymous, and a third woman outside of the lawsuit, filed police reports immediately after the incident.
Before the trial began, Namti Spa reached a settlement with the victims. During the trial, the victims were awarded $4 million in punitive damages and $300,000 and $630,000 for their respective medical expenses. Orrico still faces 3 charges of sexual assault, which is a class 2 felony in Arizona.
While two of the victims came forward and claimed their awards, the lawsuit suggests that other Orrico sexually assaulted other women. The man admitted to giving non-consensual, “special massages” to as many as 10% of his female customers. Orrico provided approximately 1,500 massages over the course of his career, which began in 2014. Employers claimed they were not aware of his behavior until complaints were filed in 2016.
Orrico’s license was revoked once these victims spoke out against their abuser. Still, the man worked at several spas across Sedona, including Spa of Sedona in 2016.
According to our partner, Robert E. Pastor, who has served as a prosecutor for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and won several cases against sexual predators and the institutions that protect sexual predators, the verdict received by the victims speaks to the power victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault have when they chose to take action. Many other victims in Arizona and across the nation, have been awarded seven-figure verdicts because jurors recognize that some businesses and institutions of trust have an obligation to protect innocent customers from sexual assault. At Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, P.A., we fight for victims of sexual abuse and sexual assault to help them take action and make our communities safe from sexual predators. The lawyers at Montoya, Lucero & Pastor, PA have taken on The Roman Catholic Church of the Diocese of Phoenix, the Arizona Department of Child Safety, group homes, organizations serving children, school districts and massage therapy companies including Massage Envy Spa.
If you are a victim of sexual assault or sexual abuse, we want to help you take action because we believe that together we can make our community more safe. Our attorneys, including Mr. Pastor, are available at (602) 483-6869 and encourage you to schedule a confidential consultation.