SAGINAW, MI -- An Otsego County man impersonated a police officer in an attempt to become Facebook friends with Hooters workers, prosecutors say.

Nicholas M. Fuhst

Nicholas M. Fuhst, 18, of Vanderbilt, faces a felony charge of impersonating a peace officer to commit a crime.

He faces that charge in connection with a Thursday, May 12, incident at the Hooters restaurant at 5538 Bay in Kochville Township.

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Boyd said Fuhst represented himself as an undercover police officer and obtained a list of employees at the restaurant. After reviewing the list, Fuhst asked for more detailed information about some of the workers, Boyd said.

"He indicated that he went to Hooters because he wanted to talk to the girls to see if they would be friends on Facebook," Boyd said.

The impersonation charge that Fuhst faces carries a maximum penalty of four years in prison. He also faces a misdemeanor count of disturbing workers, which carries a 90-day maximum penalty.

Michigan Department of Corrections records list Fuhst as an absconder from probation. Fuhst is serving two years of probation for unrelated crimes of arson of personal property worth more than $1,000 but less than $20,000 and malicious destruction of personal property worth more than $1,000 but less than $20,000.

In arraigning Fuhst on Monday, May 16, District Judge Kyle Higgs Tarrant entered a not guilty plea on his behalf and ordered him held on a $20,000 bond.

Fuhst remains jailed and is scheduled for a June 2 preliminary hearing before District Judge A.T. Frank.

-- Andy Hoag covers courts for MLive/The Saginaw News. Email him at ahoag@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter @awhoag