GOLDEN, Colo. — A former police officer who worked in Edgewater and Black Hawk was sentenced Monday after pleading guilty to committing multiple crimes between 2019 and 2021, prosecutors said.
Nathan Geerdes, 42, pleaded guilty in January to forgery, unlawful sexual contact and official misconduct. He was sentenced Monday to four years probation. If he violates the terms of that probation, he could face prison time.
Other charges against him were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
Geerdes was a former Edgewater Police Department sergeant and more recently worked as an officer for the Black Hawk Police Department.
Geerdes, accused of sexually assaulting his own colleagues, was described by victims as a perpetrator who abused his power and violated the trust bestowed upon him as a law enforcement officer.
Prosecutors referred to this case as a "marathon," with years of investigations and victims coming forward.
"The defendant believed himself to be in this place where he was untouchable," Brynn Chase, Jefferson County Deputy District Attorney and lead prosecutor on the case, said. "It's very disturbing to see someone in law enforcement holding themselves out to be above the law ... So, I think that resulted in the level of investment that you saw from us."
McKinzie Rees, a former Edgewater patrol officer and one of Geerdes' victims, emphasized the weight of wearing a badge.
"It's being held to a higher standard," she said. "It's, you know, leading by example."
Rees was sexually assaulted by Geerdes in 2019 after leaving a holiday party, and said she was forced to resign soon after.
"It's been really hard, because I miss it every day," Rees said.
She said being a law enforcement officer was her passion.
Rees' decision to speak out ultimately resulted in Geerdes' indictment by a grand jury in December 2022 on four counts of unlawful sexual contact and one count of retaliation against a witness.
From December 2022: Fired officer indicted, accused of sexually assaulting fellow officer
In June 2023, Geerdes was charged with five counts of attempt to influence a public servant and five counts of forgery related to false information he provided to multiple law enforcement agencies, prosecutors said.
During Geerdes' sentencing hearing, another former Edgewater police officer detailed the sexual harassment she experienced at the hands of Geerdes back in 2014.
Despite the vindication of knowing she wasn't alone in her ordeal, Rees expressed unease over the delayed response to the misconduct.
Geerdes resigned from the Edgewater Police Department in early 2021 amid an internal affairs investigation against him, according to previous 9NEWS reporting. He was fired from the Black Hawk Police Department as a result of the criminal case against him, prosecutors said.
"The day I learned about the deception from Nathan Geerdes and the past administration of the Edgewater Police Department, I felt utterly betrayed by people who had sworn an oath to protect and serve our public," Black Hawk Police Chief Michelle Moriarty said in a victim impact statement emailed to 9NEWS.
Moriarty described his schemes and deceit as sickening, expressing dismay over what she described as his belief in his own impunity.
Judge Christopher Rhamey directly addressed Geerdes during sentencing, condemning him as "the problem" and the embodiment of the "few bad apples" within law enforcement. Rhamey emphasized the corrosive impact of Geerdes' actions on his colleagues and the community at large.
Prosecutors said as a result of his convictions, he lost his POST certification and cannot work in law enforcement again. Additionally, he will be required to register as a sex offender for the duration of his probation, with the offense remaining unsealable upon its completion.
While Rees said justice has been served with Geerdes' conviction, the lasting impact of his actions will always remain.
"You don't just get flashbacks of it," Rees said. "There's not an end to it, if that makes sense. Like, it's always something that's going to stay with you."
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