Slideshow Jose Plascencia, 57, was sentenced to 13 years in prison without parole for multiple sexual assaults against women at his purported home-based massage business in East Palo Alto. Photo courtesy of East Palo Alto Police Department. Previous Next

A 57-year-old man who pleaded no contest to felony charges for sexually assaulting women while posing as a massage therapist was sentenced on Thursday to 13 years in state prison without the possibility of parole, a San Mateo County prosecutor said Thursday.

Jose Garcia Plascencia pleaded no contest on Jan. 29 to 10 felonies, including eight charges of sexual battery by fraud and two counts of digital penetration. Prosecutors sought an 18-year sentence, Chief Deputy District Attorney Al Serrato said. Plascencia received 564 days off his sentence for time already served while he remained in custody. In addition, the court issued no-contact orders for all of the women. He will also be ordered to pay restitution to his victims in amounts to be determined by the court and he must register as a sex offender, Serrato said. Plascencia was ordered to pay $6,837 in one case to the state Victims Compensation Fund.

Plascencia's crimes date as far back as 2010. He faced as many as 36 felonies after 22 women came forward to claim he improperly touched their genitals or sexually touched them while giving them massages. He claimed to be a traditional Mexican "sobandero," or healer, and had set up a massage business in the garage of his East Palo Alto home in the 2400 block of Illinois Street.

Three women initially alleged he sexually assaulted them, prompting his arrest in April 2017, but many more women came forward after police and prosecutors publicized the allegations and asked for more victims to contact them.