Former Edgewater, Black Hawk officer Nathan Geerdes sentenced

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.

Geerdes was a former Edgewater Police Department sergeant and more recently worked as an officer for the Black Hawk Police Department.

He 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.

Geerdes, charged for sexually assaulting his own colleagues, was described as a perpetrator who abused his power and violated the trust bestowed upon him as a law enforcement officer.

McKinzie Rees, a former Edgewater patrol officer and one of Geerdes' victims, emphasized the weight of wearing a badge, stating, "It's being held to a higher standard, 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. but, Rees speaking out is what led Geerdes was indicted by a grand jury in December 2022 for four counts of unlawful sexual contact and one count of retaliation against a witness.

In 2019, McKinzie Rees was sexually assaulted by Geerdes after leaving a holiday party, an ordeal that ultimately led to her resignation. However, Rees' courageous decision to speak out against Geerdes ultimately resulted in his indictment by a grand jury in December 2022. He faced charges including four counts of unlawful sexual contact and one count of retaliation against a witness.

"It's been really hard, because I miss it every day," Rees said being a law enforcement officer was her passion.

During Geerdes' sentencing hearing, another former female 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.

From June: Blackhawk police chief says she was 'misled' about hiring of former Edgewater officer accused of sex assault

Prosecutors said Geerdes initially faced four counts of unlawful sexual contact and one count of retaliation against a witness after a grand jury investigation led to his indictment in December 2022.

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.

From June: Fired officer charged with sexual assault now faces 10 additional charges

The other charges against him were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

Prosecutors said as a result of his convictions, he lost his POST certification and cannot work in law enforcement again.