South Carolina sexual abuse lawyers want you to know that Circuit Judge Roger Young showed no mercy during Robert Brooks sentencing. Brooks was arrested in September 2008, on a third-degree criminal sexual assault charge. The North Charleston native had sex with the woman 2008 and went unreported for some time, until the victim told a staff member of the group home she was residing in about the assault.
The twist in the story is the most disheartening of all. The woman had an IQ of 48; therefore, she is legally unable to consent to having sex. Assistant Solicitor Tyler Whitacker explained that cases like this normally go unreported because the victims have a hard time articulating what occurred and many times do not have the ability to put into words details to incriminate their attacker.
Typically when the accused pleads guilty to a charge they receive a break in their sentencing. Not in this case. Brooks pled guilty to the third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge but did not receive a break. He was sentenced to ten years in jail. Brooks record is also tarnished with a lewd act against a minor in 1995. In ten years from now when Brooks is released he will undergo examination under the Sexually Violent Predators Act, which will determine if he is fit to be released back into society.
Source: The Post and Courier- “Man Pleads Guilty in Sex Crimes Case.” January 17, 2010.