MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A 40-year-old California man is accused of sexually assaulting a woman who worked at a Mall of America comedy club where he performed, according to charges filed Friday in Hennepin County Court.
Adam Scott Richmond, a professional comedian, was charged with one count of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of third-degree attempted criminal sexual conduct in connection with the July 29, 2013 incident.
According to the charges, Bloomington Police were called at about 3 a.m. to an assault in progress on the 11000 block France Avenue South. Officers were told a female was heard yelling at a man to stop and get away.
The female victim worked as a server as Rick Bronson’s Comedy Club at the Mall of America and became acquainted with Richmond over a period of five years as he headlined a comedy show. The complaint states during that time, Richmond made advances at the woman. On July 29, 2013, the woman agreed to let Richmond come to her house after a comedy show for drinks. She told him she had no romantic interest in him.
The complaint states the two, along with two of her roommates, all drank together at her home. Richmond made several inappropriate comments to the woman and grabbed her. She denied him repeatedly and punched him.
After her roommates went to sleep, Richmond became aggressive towards the woman, touched her inappropriately and told her he wanted to “make love” to her. She punched him several times, told him to leave and called a taxi for him. The complaint states Richmond knocked her to the ground, reached up her dress and touched her inappropriately.
Richmond also exposed himself to the victim, the complaint states. She pushed him way, and he fled in the taxi that had been called earlier.
Police caught up with Richmond at his Ramada Hotel room and arrested him. He told police he “was maybe a little aggressive. I tried to kiss her. I might have grabbed her.” Police said Richmond also had a blood alcohol level of .17 at the time. He admitted to police that he exposed himself to the woman and wrestled her to the ground thinking it was flirtatious, the complaint states.
If convicted on both charges, Richmond faces up to 25 years in prison and $50,000 in fines.
