A woman accused earlier this year of sexual assault after pulling down a teenage girl’s skirt at a restaurant has resorted to drastic measures to make money since losing her job.
Ida Lorenzo, 48, was fired from her position at the Utah Attorney General’s Office on April 25, the same day she was indicted.
But Lorenzo has now blamed his dismissal on “circumstances beyond my control” and, in a bid to generate some extra money, has set up a GoFundMe page in the hope of providing some form of income until he gets a new job.
“My career and my only means of income are currently suspended for an indefinite period, and it is urgent that I try to raise funds to help support my two children and I during this difficult period,” Lorenzo wrote, asking for sympathy. .
‘I am a single mother and I have never asked for help until now. My son is a suicide survivor (bullied in high school) and I am a domestic violence survivor. For the first time in my life, I might need help myself. Any amount of your generosity would be greatly appreciated.’
So far, Lorenzo has raised less than $500 of his $5,000 goal.
Ida Lorenzo was charged with a Class A misdemeanor after the skirt-pulling incident on April 20 in the lobby of a Japanese steakhouse in St. George, Utah. A TikTok video of the altercation, filmed by one of the victim’s friends, later went viral.
Ida Lorenzo, 48, has started a GoFundMe after being laid off from her job. Her two children appear on her donation page where she aims to raise $5,000.
Lorenzo appeared in Fifth District Court in St. George, Utah, earlier this week, in what was her first court appearance since being charged with a Class A misdemeanor in April.
In Utah, a Class A misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in jail and fines of up to $2,500.
Lorenzo was captured on video at a crowded restaurant in St. George, tugging on the teen’s skirt before telling her to be careful about “what she was showing, especially with small children around,” according to a police affidavit. .
She told officers she put on the teen’s miniskirt claiming the teen was exposing her buttocks and vagina in the hallway in front of the children.
During the 36-second viral video, the young woman’s friends can be heard telling Lorenzo: ‘You can’t touch her.’
He also appeared to flash a badge and said, “Turns out I work for the state,” while threatening to call child protective services.
The next day, Lorenzo was the one who called 911 to report the harassment related to the unpleasant encounter.
She was charged in Fifth District Court on April 25 with sexual assault, a class A misdemeanor.
Lorenzo’s employment with the Washington County state attorney general’s office ended the same day.
She had only been on the job for about six weeks, as the office hired her on March 4 as a legal secretary.
Lorenzo was booked into Purgatory Correctional Facility in Hurricane and released after posting bail. He is seen here just before his arrest. She was fired from her job the same day.
Lorenzo is seen being escorted to a police car following his arrest on April 24.
Footage of the incident was posted to TikTok and garnered more than 14.5 million views.
The termination letter reads: ‘I am writing to inform you that you have not successfully passed your employment trial period and today, April 25, 2024, you will be separated from state employment in the Attorney General’s Office.
‘Your failure to comply with performance-related policies and standards contributed to this decision.’
According to police documents, on the night of the attack, Lorenzo approached the young woman and pulled down her skirt.
‘This caused all the people who were with her to accuse (Lorenzo) of sexually assaulting the female,’ read the police records.
Lorenzo told authorities that she “never” touched the other woman’s skin and had simply “touched the woman’s skirt.”
An officer told him he had still “behaved criminally by touching the woman’s clothing and that his behavior was not appropriate.”
The officer explained that touching someone’s private areas was illegal, even if just touching someone’s clothing.
The incident took place at Sakura Japanese Steakhouse in St. George, Utah, on April 20.
Following the incident, the teenager contacted police to report that she had been “sexually assaulted while in the lobby” of the St. George restaurant.
Lorenzo had ‘confronted’ her ‘while his back was turned to her, and without warning, or formal warning, she felt cold hands move up her skirt, touching her buttocks before she felt her skirt being pulled,’ according to police records. .
The young woman said she felt ‘startled’ and ‘violated’ by the encounter after Lorenzo approached her without warning and pulled down her skirt from behind.
She denied that her genitals were exposed and explained to police that she was wearing underwear at the time.
