COLUMBUS (WCMH)–A few years ago Lonnie Sturdivant was nicknamed the “Panera groper” after grabbing women inside a Panera restaurant on North High St.
Sturdivant has been convicted of misdemeanor sexual imposition over and over again. He has been banned by court order from Ohio State University, Columbus State, and from COTA buses. But that has not stopped him.
Sturdivant is in custody once again, charged in connection with complaints from two female OSU students who say they were groped.
Democratic state senator Charleta Tavares says the cyclical nature of Sturdivant’s behavior is frustrating for the courts and victims and raises a red flag.
“That is an assault on someone, you are groping or touching someone in an inappropriate way,” Tavares said.
Tavares says some other states treat the same crime as a felony. She is now researching whether a change in Ohio law is needed to give the courts more options in cases like that of Lonnie Sturdivant.
“We need to look at treatment and we also need to look at – is the penalty enough to deter his behavior? Obviously it’s not,” Tavares said.
Asst. Columbus City Prosecutor Amy Meyers says Sturdivant’s criminal history goes back to a rape charge in the mid 80s. He pleaded guilty to gross sexual imposition and served 24 years in prison.
Since his release in 2011, Sturdivant has 10 convictions for misdemeanor sexual imposition. He typically serves several months in jail and reoffends shortly after being released.
“It impacts people,” Meyers said. I’m sure there are people out there and maybe they don’t ride the bus anymore because it happened, maybe they don’t go certain places because it happened. But I think it really impacts them.”
Sturdivant was arraigned Friday and ordered held on $60,000 bond.