An Albert Lea used car dealership owner is facing charges for allegedly offering to forgive a woman’s late car payments in exchange for sex acts.

Timothy Brian Mann, 44, is charged with one count of prostitution, engage in a public place, and one count of prostitution, hiring or agreeing to hire in a public place, both gross misdemeanors.

Mann’s first appearance on the charges is slated for Aug. 15 in Freeborn County District Court.

Court documents state the victim had purchased a vehicle from Mann’s dealership, Mann Motors, in April 2018 for $6,500. She and her boyfriend put down half of the money for the vehicle and then set up a payment plan to pay $150 in cash every two weeks.

The victim reportedly told police she had been late on payments two to three times because shortly after she purchased the vehicle, the check engine light came on and the vehicle started to have mechanical issues, costing her about $3,000 to fix.

She said she received a text message from Mann, stating he wanted to meet up with her to discuss the late payments and “work something out due to being late all the time,” court documents state. He asked her to meet that day in the Home Depot parking lot and allegedly advised her to not say anything to anyone.

The victim told police that after she made arrangements to meet with Mann, she met with her mother and sister and told them she was going to meet with him because she was afraid he was going to repossess her vehicle. She asked her mother and sister to follow her to Home Depot.

Once she drove to Home Depot, she reportedly found Mann in  his truck, and he mouthed for her to “get in quick.”

He asked her what she thought she could do to help get caught up on the payments, first asking her if she could detail cars. She told him she had never detailed cars before, and he then responded with, “Let’s think of a creative way,” while touching his groin area.

Mann then reportedly told the victim to tell her mother and sister they were going to look at different cars. She reportedly used that as an opportunity to push record on her phone and then returned to his truck.

He allegedly told her if she gave him oral sex that day, he would clear out all of her past due payments, and if she had sex with him the following day, he would clear the entire debt for the vehicle.

He eventually drove out of the parking lot and then brought up the idea again, allegedly unzipping his pants and exposing himself. At one point, he stopped at a dead-end road and was reportedly pressuring the victim. She continued to tell him she didn’t want to do what he had asked, and he ultimately drove her back to Home Depot, telling her not to say anything and that if she agreed to the arrangement to text him, “payment in full.”

When questioned by police, Mann reportedly denied ever having a conversation with the victim. He stated there was one text regarding her late payment, but denied meeting with her at Home Depot, taking her for a ride or asking her for sexual favors.

“All I know is she owes me money on a car,” he reportedly told police. “If there is anything else being said, it’s false.”

When advised of the recording the victim had, he asked to speak to a lawyer and asked the officer “what he needed to do to clear up any ‘battle’ with them,’” court documents state.

 

See what happened last night in the PM report here.