Groom charged in sexual assault of waitress at wedding reception gets probation on lesser counts
Matthew Aimers was sentenced to six months' probation during a hearing Thursday.
A South Jersey man accused of sexually assaulting a teenage waitress at his wedding reception was sentenced to probation Thursday after agreeing to a negotiated plea deal in Bucks County.
Matthew Aimers, 32, of Willingboro, was charged with indecent assault, indecent exposure, imprisonment of a minor, harassment, and related offenses in February, in an incident that quickly went viral, garnering attention from tabloid newspapers across the world.
At a hearing Thursday in Doylestown, Aimers pleaded guilty to two counts of simple assault — from a separate incident in which he fought with workers at the venue — indecent exposure and disorderly conduct, all misdemeanor charges, according to court records. He was sentenced to six years’ probation.
The remaining, more serious charges were dropped as part of the plea deal.
Assistant District Attorney Megan Hunsicker said Thursday that decision was made after close consultation with the victim. She called this resolution “the best outcome.”
”The victim in this case was highly traumatized by what he did to her,“ Hunsicker said. "His actions were inappropriate and unwarranted. This conviction will, I hope, provide her with a resolution that allows her life to move on.”
Aimers’ attorney, Louis Busico, said his client was satisfied with the resolution of the case.
“As of last week, we were fully ready and prepared to proceed to trial on all charges in both cases," Busico said. "However, when additional discussions and negotiations produced a result which would not incarcerate Mr. Aimers, which would not result in any felony convictions, and would not have any registration requirements, we believed it was in the best interest to resolve this case in this fashion, so his life can go on.”
After his November 2018 wedding ceremony to his wife, Kayla, Aimers and his guests celebrated the marriage at the Northampton Valley Country Club in Richboro, according to police. During the reception, Aimers approached an underage waitress and “asked her to go outside and make out,” according to the affidavit of probable cause for his arrest. He told the girl the two of them could "do whatever you want.”
The waitress spurned his advances, she later told police, saying the encounter left her shaken.
Later, Aimers followed the waitress into the women’s bathroom and pulled her into an empty stall, the affidavit said. There, he sexually assaulted her and exposed himself, she told police.
When the girl tried to pull away, Aimers continued “to proposition her,” according to the affidavit, and at one point offered her $100. The waitress was able to break free and leave the bathroom.
Hours later, as the reception was ending, Northampton Township police were called to the country club to respond to reports of a fight.
When officers arrived, they found Aimers “pushing and punching people," according to an affidavit filed in that case. A country club employee told the officers the groom had punched him after he tried to stop him from taking alcohol outside.
When police arrived, Aimers tried to board a shuttle bus parked near the country club, ignoring the officers’ commands to stop, the affidavit said. When Aimers finally got off the bus, he was taken into custody after a short struggle with police.