A former Utah state employee who gained viral attention for pulling down a teen girl’s mini-skirt in a steakhouse has agreed to a plea deal, as reported by New York Post.
Ida Ann Lorenzo, 49, has entered a “no contest” plea to a misdemeanor count of sexual battery, according to KTVX.
Court documents state that Lorenzo acknowledged touching another person’s buttocks in a manner that could cause affront or alarm.
As part of the plea deal, Lorenzo’s plea will be held for a year, and if she abides by the conditions of the agreement, which include a mental health evaluation and no contact with the victim, the case will be dismissed.
Footage capturing the aftermath of the incident at Sakura Japanese Steakhouse on April 20, where Lorenzo allegedly pulled down a 19-year-old’s skirt in the lobby, has gone viral, amassing over a million views on TikTok.
Lorenzo, who was hired as a legal secretary at the Utah Attorney General’s office in March, was relieved of her duties on April 25, the same day she faced criminal charges related to the steakhouse incident.
Following online backlash, Lorenzo contacted the police, expressing concerns for her safety after being accused of sexual harassment in the restaurant.
In police station bodycam footage from April 22, Lorenzo admitted to pulling on the teen’s skirt but claimed her hands did not touch the victim’s skin. The officer advised her that it was not her place to take matters into her own hands and should have involved the police.
Reports indicated that other witnesses also filed police reports regarding the incident at the steakhouse.
Lorenzo was arrested on April 24 after the victim reported feeling Lorenzo’s “cold hands against [her] skin.”
She was booked at the Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane and was released on bail.
