Owner of Carlos Bistro in Colorado Springs charged with sexual assault of waitress trainee

Editor's note: This story contains details of a sexual assault allegation and may be upsetting for some readers.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- A Colorado Springs restaurateur is facing charges of sexual assault, with the reported victim being a woman training to work at his restaurant.

According to court records, Carlos Echeandia, owner of Carlos Bistro, was charged with:

• Sexual assault: Victim helpless
• Sexual assault: No consent
• Sexual contact: No consent

"Mr. Echeandia vehemently denies the accusations against him and looks forward to having his day in court," read a statement shared with KRDO13 by his attorney.

The reported victim told a detective with the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) that she had met Carlos Echeandia at church. She was unemployed and was "fairly desperate for this job to work out," according to court records.

She said she approached Echeandia about a job, and he later had her come by the restaurant to train for a position.

Echeandia said he would need to teach her how to mix drinks, as it's part of why the staff make so much in tips, "up to $1,000 per night," according to her recounting to the detective.

Echeandia had her make drinks and began giving her a tour of the bistro, "encouraging her to sample the drinks so she could describe them better to customers," according to arrest records. The reported victim said she had not had any food and was beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol.

From there, she reported to police that his tone changed and said he began making inappropriate comments.

"She felt so out of it, she wondered if she had been drugged," the arrest affidavit further read. Police say she recalled her legs began to feel heavy, like she was walking through cement. She told police that she later saved her urine from that day, keeping it in her fridge in hopes that it could be tested for drugs, but she was never able to in time and threw it away.

Back at the restaurant, she said Echeandia reportedly told her, "If you'll just let me see your breasts, I promise I won't touch you," the arrest affidavit says. The trainee said she agreed to take off her shirt, hoping she would be able to "leave and never come back," but told police that Echeandia began grabbing her, and said the alleged sexual assault then occurred.

The woman also reported to police that Echeandia told her something similar to "don't tell anyone this happened."

Police listen in on a phone call

According to arrest records, police had the victim call Echeandia while they were present to see what he would say to her.

"I think you are a wonderful woman... Don't ever feel bad what we done. It was fun, I love it, it was beautiful. If I got to do it again, I would do it again," Echeandia told her while police were listening in, according to the arrest affidavit.

However, the woman began pressing Echeandia, saying that she felt gross about what happened, that she did not want anything sexual, and asked if he knew what he did was wrong.

"If that would make you feel better, I am very sorry," he reportedly said, also adding, "I crossed the line."

Echeandia told her that he had never done anything like that with the other waitresses, as the restaurant was "the holy temple," according to the arrest affidavit.

What he told the police

Over the phone with the reported victim, Echeandia did not deny kissing and touching her, but changed things up when speaking with police, according to the arrest affidavit.

Based on his arrest affidavit, Echeandia told police a very different story from what the trainee recalled.

Echeandia reportedly told police that the trainee began drinking all the training beverages and later asked for wine, but he cut her off. Echeandia told police that the trainee began to compliment his appearance and was flirting with him. Then, Echeandia says, she went to the bathroom and arrived back naked.

According to the arrest affidavit, Echeandia told police that while naked, she jumped on his back, and he only touched her to prevent himself from falling over. Echeandia told police that the trainee suddenly stopped and got dressed, asking if he would call her. He told police that he said he wouldn't, as he was happily married.

When the police brought up that his version of events did not line up with what they had overheard on the phone, Echeandia told the police that he had lied to the trainee over the phone to make her feel better, and said he did not feel sorry for anything because he had done nothing wrong. According to the arrest affidavit, he also told police that he wished he had kicked her out sooner.

Outcry witnesses

According to the arrest affidavit, a detective with CSPD began calling what are called "outcry witnesses." They are people who first hear about an abuse allegation from a victim.

Police say they spoke to several loved ones of the woman, who recalled her coming to them about what allegedly happened. Each affirmed that they had been told many of the same details that she told police.

"All of the outcry witness statements were very consistent with each other," read the arrest affidavit.

If convicted, Echeandia would be considered a felon, with his sexual assault charge a class four felony.

KRDO13 requested Echeandia's mugshot from CSPD and, as of publication, is still awaiting receipt.

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