When accusations of sexual misconduct arise, the stakes are incredibly high—especially in the court of public opinion. We’re reminded of this once again with the case of Houston native and Baltimore Ravens kicker Justin Tucker. The allegations against him are spreading quickly, even before any criminal charges or civil lawsuits are filed.
If you’re facing a similar allegation in Texas, always be proactive in your defense by scheduling a consultation with an experienced Houston sex crime defense attorney to ensure your rights and reputation are protected.
Justin Tucker, a Houston native and former University of Texas placekicker who now plays for the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens, has been accused of sexual misconduct.
According to Sports Illustrated, Tucker, who’s been in the NFL for 13 seasons, all with the Ravens, was accused by six massage therapists in a report made public by The Baltimore Banner. Three additional massage therapists later made similar accusations.
The initial report claims that Tucker was banned from two massage parlors for his misconduct and that multiple therapists declined to provide him services or ended sessions early.
The report also alleges that Tucker exposed his genitals in multiple sessions, and it claims that such misconduct occurred at four “high-end spas and wellness centers in the Baltimore region” between 2012 and 2016, starting with his rookie season.
The Ravens said in a statement after the first report was published, “We are aware of the Baltimore Banner’s story regarding Justin Tucker. We take any allegations of this nature seriously and will continue to monitor the situation.”
Tucker, 35, also released a statement on social media in which he denied the allegations against him.
“The allegations against me in The Baltimore Banner article about me are unequivocally false,” he wrote.
“Throughout my career as a professional athlete, I have always sought to conduct myself with the utmost professionalism. I have never before been accused of misconduct of any kind, and I have never been accused of acting inappropriately in front of a massage therapist or during a massage therapy session or during other bodywork.
“I have never received any complaints from a massage therapist, have never been dismissed from a massage therapy or bodywork session, and have never been told that I was not welcome at any spa or other place of business.”
As reported by The Athletic in The New York Times, Tucker has not been charged with a crime, and no civil lawsuits have been filed yet against him. However, both Tucker and the group of massage therapists have engaged legal counsel.
In fact, Tucker hired a defamation law firm when he learned, before its publication, that the initial article was being written about him. He said The Baltimore Banner then refused to reveal the entirety of the claims being made against him and gave him little time to provide a response.
Tucker’s lawyers reportedly told The Banner that it is “unremarkable” and “not news” that he might have become exposed during a massage. His lawyers argued to the newspaper that athletes often shift around due to discomfort, and massage therapists are the ones who adjust the coverings.
An All-Pro kicker, Tucker has appeared in 212 regular-season NFL games, all with the Ravens. He has made 417 of 468 field goal attempts for an 89.1 percent conversion rate, an all-time NFL record.
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Kicker calls accusatory article “tabloid fodder”
Tucker’s formal statement said the initial Baltimore Banner article that accused him “takes innocuous, or ambiguous, interactions and skews them so out of proportion they are no longer recognizable, and it presents vague insinuations as fact. This is desperate tabloid fodder.”
The Banner is a website publication with 55,000 subscribers. The dominant newspaper in Baltimore and all of Maryland is the Baltimore Sun.
“As a matter of principle, I respect when individuals come forward to report misconduct of any kind,” Tucker stated. “I support a process that allows claims to be properly investigated.“
But, for the sake of myself and my family, I cannot allow these false claims to go unchallenged. I cannot be any clearer. These allegations are false and incredibly hurtful to both me, and more importantly, my family.”
Former Houston Texan Deshaun Watson has also faced massage misconduct claims
Though not nearly as widespread, the Tucker case recalls that of former Houston Texans player Deshaun Watson, who was accused by dozens of massage therapists of sexual misconduct starting in March of 2021 and, in September of 2024, was accused of sexual assault against a woman on a date.
The latter accusation came in a civil lawsuit, which was followed by a confidential settlement a short time later. Many of the other lawsuits by massage therapists have also been resolved in settlements.
Texas laws on sexual assault are severe
But not every sexual offense can be resolved strictly by civil lawsuits or settlements. Some sexual offenses lead to criminal charges—very serious ones.
If you or a family member ever face a claim, accusation, allegation or charge of a sexual offense, it’s important that you realize that many sex crimes can bring severe punishments under Texas laws on sexual assault or other sexual misconduct.
In other words, while you may or may not face a civil lawsuit over such allegations, they could lead to a criminal charge, which in turn could lead to penalties including years in prison and high fines in the thousands of dollars.
Just recently, a former martial arts teacher in The Woodlands was arrested for alleged sexual assault of a student, who was a juvenile. That man was charged with indecency with a child/sexual assault.
A conviction on such a charge can result in a prison sentence of up to 20 years and a fine of up to$10,000.
Get an experienced Houston sex crime defense lawyer
The Neal Davis Law Firm has many years of experience defending the legal rights of Americans who face criminal charges. Everyone is entitled to due process and having their day in court, and everyone has the constitutional right to be considered innocent until proven guilty.
However, since the explosion of communications via social media and the advent of the #MeToo movement, an accusation—even if later found to be false—can have immediate and disastrous impacts on an accused person.
That’s why you must act quickly to engage an experienced, knowledgeable and skilled Houston-area criminal defense lawyer or attorney if you live in Houston, The Woodlands, Bellaire, Sugar Land, or elsewhere in Harris County, Montgomery County, or Fort Bend County.
Our law firm can amass the facts about a case and prepare a legal defense based on a variety of sex crime defense strategies. Often such claims can be proven to be false or unfounded.
Contact the Neal Davis Law Firm today to arrange a private consultation for your case.
