Austin police urge patients to come forward after two physical therapists arrested for sexual assault

Physical therapists accused of sexually assaulting patients

Austin police are asking potential victims to come forward after physical therapists Paul Lietz and Manuel Rangel were arrested on separate sexual assault charges.

AUSTIN - Austin police are urging potential victims to come forward following the arrests of two physical therapists accused of sexually assaulting patients in separate incidents.

Austin physical therapists arrested

Authorities identified the suspects as Paul Lietz, 37, and Manuel Rangel, 50. Both men face charges of sexual assault.

One investigation centers around Paul Lietz, a physical therapist in the Mueller area who police said treated a woman for ankle pain beginning in March 2024. 

Court records said Lietz began calling and texting the woman outside of appointments, flirting with her, before sexually assaulting her later that month. She said she stopped going to therapy for a few weeks but returned in April when she said he assaulted her again.

In another case across town in the Medical Parkway area, police said a woman reported being sexually assaulted during a massage in July 2024. Investigators said the massage therapist, Manuel Rangel, had treated her several times before.

Paul Lietz, 37, and Manuel Rangel, 50

Dig deeper:

Lietz has held a physical therapist license since June 2020, but records show his license is now suspended.

State records show Rangel has been a licensed massage therapist since August 2020 and his license remains active through August 2026.

Because the investigations remain open and active, officials said they cannot disclose specific details regarding the incidents at this time.

Lawyer speaks out

Local perspective:

"If there's any context that we have strength in numbers, it is in the sexual assault sphere," lawyer, survivor, and author, JoDee Neil said.

Neil said cases involving physical therapists can be especially troubling.

"This is very brazen to actually use an establishment, the cover of an establishment, to commit an act of violence. That's sophisticated sex offender behavior. And so certainly, the police would ask if this person has had access to many, many, many women over a course of time. There is no way this is the only victim," Neil said.

She said it is common for survivors to take time before reporting what happened.

"I know from my own lived experience, and we know now from research, that people wait to tell, wait, I say in quotation marks, more often than not, because they're frozen. You're still in an injured state, and you're unable to say the truth about what's happened to you," Neil said.

She said, ultimately though, many come forward to protect others.

What you can do:

Detectives are asking anyone who believes they may have been a victim of either suspect to contact the Austin Police Department’s Sexual Crimes Unit at 512-974-5095 or by email at Sex.Crimes@austintexas.gov.

Police emphasized that cooperating with the investigation is voluntary. 

The department’s Victim Services Unit is available to provide support to those affected, regardless of whether they choose to participate in the legal process. Individuals seeking support can contact Victim Services at 512-974-5037.