ST. GEORGE, Utah (ABC4) — The Utah woman charged with sexual battery for allegedly yanking on a teenager’s miniskirt in a St. George restaurant made her first court appearance Wednesday in a case that garnered national attention due to a viral TikTok video.
Ida Ann Lorenzo, 48, of Santa Clara, stood silently in 5th District Court for her initial appearance since being charged with the Class A misdemeanor in April. Her attorney, Susanne Gustin, answered routine questions, and Lorenzo’s next appearance was slated for July 30.
The sexual battery charge against Lorenzo came in the wake of an incident on April 20 in the packed entryway of Sakura Japanese Steakhouse. Lorenzo told police she tugged down a teenager’s miniskirt after claiming the teen’s buttocks and vagina were exposed to the people in the lobby, including a young child.
The aftermath of the alleged skirt-pulling was captured by one of the 19-year-old’s friends, and the video has since amassed more than 14 million views on TikTok. In the viral clip, Lorenzo described herself as a Utah state employee and threatened to call Child Protective Services on the teenager.
While Lorenzo was the first to contact police, the teenager also came forward, prompting an investigation. Per St. George police body camera footage obtained by ABC4.com, the teenager told the investigating officer that Lorenzo came up to her unannounced and pulled her skirt down from behind, leaving her feeling violated.
The teenager disputed that her genitals were exposed, telling police she was wearing underwear that night. She also provided a video to the investigator showing her wearing the skirt and spinning around in it.
In Lorenzo’s several discussions with the investigating officer, he repeatedly told her that unwanted touching of someone’s private areas is against the law, even if the touching only happens on clothing. Lorenzo denied ever touching the teenager’s skin.
On April 24, Lorenzo was arrested and charged with sexual battery. The next day, she lost her job with the Utah Attorney General’s Office, where she’d been hired only weeks before as a legal secretary, as shown in documents obtained by ABC4.com. Lorenzo has since created a GoFundMe page to help support herself and her family.
In Utah, a Class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year in jail and fines up to $2,500.
Charges are allegations only. All arrested persons are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
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