Former City Manager Michael Patterson pleads guilty to two misdemeanor charges

by Charlotte Burrous
Fremont Crusader

After more than a year of delay, former Florence City Manager Michael Patterson pled guilty to harassment of an employee and providing alcohol to a minor.

In August, Patterson pled not guilty to all six charges. Since then, he struck a deal with prosecutors in the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s office. On October 20, 2022, as part of the plea bargain, the court dismissed two felony stalking charges, a misdemeanor sexual contact without consent and misdemeanor harassment charges.
The alleged behavior became known after an incident that allegedly happened on August 30, 2021. After a two-hour executive session, the Florence City Council unanimously voted on August 31, 2021, to terminate Mike Patterson as city manager, effective immediately.
After conducting an investigation, the Florence Police Department issued a warrant for his arrest November 3, 2021. On November. 15, 2021, Patterson was arrested at the Denver Int’l Airport by the Denver Police
Department with the assistance of the Department of Homeland Security, according to a press release from the Florence Police Department. Shortly thereafter, Patterson was transported to Fremont County Jail, charged with two felonies and four misdemeanors.
Since 2019, the City of Florence has settled three lawsuits for $444,000 that accused Patterson of sexual harassment. The city’s insurance providers paid the victims after elected leaders agreed to pay the deductibles.
Patterson will be back in court on January 12, 2023, where he will be sentenced.