‘Nope’: Somerville assault suspect claims he didn’t trick women into thinking he was a chiropractor

A Somerville man accused of assaulting two women while posing as a chiropractor and running an unlicensed chiropractic business at his home denied the allegations against him when asked by Boston 25.

Jose Mendez, 60, was arraigned last week in Somerville District Court on two counts of indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, indecent exposure and operating as an unlicensed chiropractor, Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan announced Tuesday.

Mendez, pretending to be a chiropractor, assaulted at least two women who came for his services at his Cross Street home, according to investigators. The victims told police that they heard about his business through word of mouth and did notice other possible clients waiting for appointments at his home.

The victims went to see Mendez for leg or knee pain. According to court documents, Mendez told one of the victims to “flip over flip over and lie face up, and remove her shorts and underwear.” The victim said she “didn’t feel that was necessary” because she “didn’t have any problems there.” Mendez then allegedly “suddenly grabbed her inappropriately.”

Mendez is also accused of exposing himself to one of the victims, the documents showed.

Boston 25′s Litsa Pappas asked Mendez about the allegations of assault:

Pappas : Did you sexually assault women?

Mendez : Uh-uh (shakes head no)

Pappas : Are you a chiropractor? Do you have a license?

Mendez : No. Nope. No.

Pappas : So you’re not running a business out of your home?

Mendez : Nope (shakes head)

Stunned neighborhood resident Kit Casey called the allegations against Mendez “disgusting.”

“Obviously that’s disgusting. It’s really weird that it’s right across the street from us. Maybe he could be looking out the window,” Casey said.

Fellow resident Sapphira Carrier said, “My window faces him so I’ll just be keeping my blinds closed from now on I guess.”

Mendez’s bail was set at $5,500. He was ordered to stay away from and have no contact with the alleged victims and to not practice as a chiropractor.

He is due back in court on May 14.

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