Man takes plea deal in Boulder sex assault case
Jul. 22—A Castle Rock man accused of sexually assaulting a woman at a bar in downtown Boulder in 2021 has entered into a plea agreement in his case.
Joel Twambale, 36, pleaded guilty in Boulder District Court on Thursday to unlawful sexual contact and third-degree assault, both misdemeanors.
Prosecutors dismissed the original charges of sexual assault — overcoming victim's will, resisting arrest and obstruction of a peace officer.
Boulder County District Attorney's Office spokeswoman Shannon Carbone said Twambale will have a three-year deferred sentence on the unlawful sexual contact charge. Sentencing is open on the assault count, though there is an agreement that Twambale will not serve any jail time, a request of the victim in the case.
"Law enforcement and the victim were in strong support of the plea," Carbone said. "The victim did not want the defendant to do any jail time. Our office worked closely with the victim and we were glad to secure this outcome."
Twambale will be required to complete sex offender treatment as a condition of probation and will have to register as a sex offender. Carbone said the term of probation and the deferred judgment must be extended if the sex offender treatment is not completed.
Twambale is set for a sentencing hearing on Oct. 21 after a presentence investigation and a psycho-sexual investigation.
According to an affidavit, a woman told police she went out dancing with some friends to Press Play, 1005 Pearl St., on July 11, 2011, when she became separated from her friends on the dance floor.
The woman said a man she did not know, later identified by the woman as Twambale, came up and started dancing and "grinding" on her. The woman said she tried to move away, but Twambale held her in place.
The woman told police she was scared and did not say anything, and that Twambale then used his fingers to sexually assault her, according to the affidavit.
After about three minutes, the woman said Twambale stopped and she was able to go to the bathroom, where she told a witness what happened. The woman's friends also came to the bathroom, and then informed security.
The woman was taken to the hospital for a sexual assault examination.
Police tried to talk to Twambale outside the bar, but the affidavit states he became "noncompliant" and refused to give the officer his information or let the officer swab his hands.
A group of people started to surround the officer and Twambale, with one man recording the interaction and one woman trying to get in between the officer and Twambale while touching Twambale's hands, which police worried would contaminate possible evidence.
After officers ordered and pushed the crowd back, Twambale attempted to leave the area. The officer and security from Press Play then forced him to the ground, where he was handcuffed and placed under arrest.
