Furniture store sued after one of its contractors molested an 8-year-old girl while on a job

A Midwest furniture chain has been sued after one of its contractors molested an 8-year-old girl during a carpet installation job.

The Accurso Law Firm filed a lawsuit on behalf of the girl and her family in Missouri Monday against Nebraska Furniture Mart after Enrique L. Martinez, 63, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting the child, local media reported.

The furniture chain has insisted that the claims in the lawsuit are false.

Martinez was charged with multiple child sex crimes last June after police were called to the family’s home in the city of Peculiar to receive a report that the child had been molested, local outlet KCTV 5 reported at the time, citing records from local officials.

The contractor and his crew were working on carpeting in the family’s home when Martinez got the girl alone and sexually assaulted her, according to authorities.

Martinez pleaded guilty to two counts of statutory sodomy involving a child under the age of 12 last January. KCTV 5 reported Tuesday that he was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

The girl’s family said it was led to believe that the carpet they purchased from Nebraska Furniture Mart in June 2025 would be installed by trained members of the furniture chain’s team, KCTV 5 reported Tuesday, citing the lawsuit.

The lawsuit alleges that Nebraska Furniture Mart failed to conduct a thorough background check on Martinez. If the furniture chain had done a proper check, the lawsuit claims, it would have discovered Martinez was barred from lawfully working in the U.S. and was using someone else’s Social Security number.

After Nebraska Furniture Mart was made aware of the allegations against Martinez, it refused to complete the family’s carpet installation and told them they were no longer welcome at the store, according to the lawsuit.

Nebraska Furniture Mart Kansas City Store Director Nastasia Williams told The Independent, “Our hearts go out to the victim and their family. We share the sadness and shock at the details that resulted in the conviction of a third-party contractor’s helper.”

“Throughout our more than 85 years in business, NFM has prided itself on our Core Values of Integrity and Honesty while providing quality products and services to all our customers,” Williams said. “That approach has inspired NFM to maintain longstanding processes related to background checks, safety measures, and accountability that exceed industry standards. Our commitment to ensuring the safety of our customers and team members is unwavering.”

Williams said the allegations against the furniture chain “are not true.”

“Out of respect for the privacy of those involved and because this is an ongoing legal matter, we cannot share any additional information,” the store director said.

The Independent has reached out to the Accurso Law Firm for comment.