LOWELL — Lawrence’s city engineer lured a homeless man to a Tewksbury motel in January with the promise of alcohol, prosecutors said, then made lewd gestures and offered the man money to get naked.

Theodoro E. Rosario, 51, of 72 Hawley St., Apt. 2, Lawrence, appeared in Lowell District Court on Thursday in response to a summons. Rosario was released on personal recognizance. He pleaded not guilty to charges of indecent exposure and accost/annoy another person. He was ordered to have no contact with the alleged victim.

Rosario is scheduled for a pretrial conference on Nov. 7.

According to court documents, Tewksbury police were dispatched at 5:34 a.m. on Jan. 16 to the Motel 6 at 95 Main St. for a report of someone being held against their will in Room 228.

A 24-year-old homeless man from Lawrence, sitting in a stairwell near Room 228, told police that a man who identified himself as “Ambriore” exposed himself and made unwanted sexual advances toward him, according to court documents.

The man said he was panhandling outside a 7-11 store in Lawrence when he was approached by Ambriore, who said he had a fight with his wife and had been locked out of the house. Ambriore offered to buy the victim beer and cigarettes to share, the victim told police.

The victim agreed to get into Ambriore’s car to “go drink somewhere,” then agreeing to go to a hotel because he was homeless and it was freezing outside.

Ambriore got a room with two beds at Motel 6, but once inside Ambriore allegedly removed his pants and began act in a lewd manner and made sexually-suggestive remarks, police allege.

The man told police he rejected the sexual suggestions, and that Ambriore offered him money if he got naked. The victim refused.

The victim left room and returned a few minutes later, asking to use Ambriore’s cell phone to get a ride back to Lawrence, but Ambriore refused, police said. The victim walked to the car, attempting to smash a window to retrieve his sleeping bag and his Bible, but was unsuccessful, police said.

Police arrived minutes later, responding to a 911 call from Rosario.

Rosario denied the victim’s allegations to police, but added that the victim might be “confused” about his intentions. Police said Rosario provided “vague and contradictory details” of the event.

Officers said they would be filing a complaint against Rosario, who allegedly replied that he was a “public figure” and that he did not want “this mistake” to affect his life.

He asked police to show him “mercy,” according to court documents.

Rosario has been embroiled in controversy in Lawrence as well.

Last year he was caught in a rift between Mayor Daniel Rivera and City Council President Modesto Maldonado. Maldonado tried to stop paying Rosario’s $76,680 salary because he did not have the required state license in civil engineering, according to the Eagle-Tribune of North Andover.

Follow Lisa Redmond on Tout and Twitter@lredmond13_lisa.