Brooks, Kramer reach plea deals; Each convicted of child abuse

Two men who had been charged in the Furnas County sex trafficking investigation reached plea deals with prosecutors and were convicted before District Court judges Thursday.

Thursday morning, Justin Brooks, a 31-year-old from Arapahoe, pleaded no contest to an amended count of Child Abuse without Injury, a Class 3A felony. Judge James Doyle oversaw the plea hearing in Dawson County District Court and found Brooks guilty. A Class 3A felony carries a sentence of up to three years in prison and up to 18 months post release supervision. Brooks will be sentenced July 28 at 9:15 a.m. in Furnas County District Court.

Thursday afternoon, Jacob Kramer, a 22-year-old from Oxford, pleaded no contest to an amended count of Child Abuse, also a Class 3A felony. The stipulated facts of the case were that in July 2019, Kramer engaged in sexual contact with the victim in Furnas County and due to the age and circumstances of contact, placed the victim, a minor, in danger. Judge David Urbom found Kramer guilty in Furnas County District Court. Kramer is scheduled to be sentenced July 8 at 1:15 p.m. in Furnas County District Court.

These were the fourth and fifth men to be convicted of crimes stemming from this investigation.

In February, two men were convicted of sexual assault. Also in February, another man was sentenced to jail time for counts of Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor and Tampering with evidence.