A Johnstown man connected to two Loveland businesses pleaded guilty Monday to misdemeanor sexual assault in connection with an incident last year at the Hooters restaurant in Loveland.
Todd Allen Erdmann, 63, pleaded guilty in 8th Judicial District Court to the misdemeanor charge in exchange for prosecutors dropping a felony sexual assault charge.
The agreement stipulates that he will spend five years on sex-offender-specific probation, but the terms of that probation are totally up to Judge Laurie Dean, who explained they could include 60 days in jail, community service and treatment. He will be sentenced Oct. 19.
Erdmann is described in an arrest affidavit as being part-owner of the Thunder Mountain Hooters restaurant, where the incident occurred last September, and the website for Thunder Mountain Harley-Davidson lists Erdmann as the owner. And on the website for Thunder Mountain Holdings, which owns both of those businesses, Erdmann is listed as chief executive officer.
During the court hearing, he acknowledged owning several businesses in Colorado, Nebraska and Montana. He told Dean that the plea agreement would not affect the gaming and liquor licenses associated with his businesses, but that a morality clause in his contracts with Harley-Davidson will force him to sell his two motorcycle dealerships due to his conviction for sexual assault.
Erdmann was a customer at the Hooters, 4230 Byrd Way, on Sept. 19, 2019, when he was speaking to a waitress and arranging to give her concert tickets, according to the arrest affidavit. During that contact, he pulled her toward him, slapped her on the buttocks and grabbed her vaginal area, the affidavit states.
She reportedly stepped away and told him to stop, and according to the affidavit, he grabbed her by the arm and penetrated her with his finger.
The waitress called police and, at the request of an investigator, called Erdmann the following day. The affidavit states that Erdmann reportedly apologized, said he was embarrassed and claimed to be drunk at the time.
Police said in the affidavit that they learned that Erdmann is part-owner of the restaurant, had reportedly touched women inappropriately before and touted his status as owner over the employees.
Erdmann, who is out of jail on bond, will undergo several evaluations before sentencing, and the information in those resulting documents will help guide the conditions of probation. He told the judge that he already started sex offender treatment nearly two months ago.
He appeared in court virtually on Monday but will be required to attend the sentencing hearing in person at 11 a.m. on Oct. 19.
