Welcome to Arrest Stories. A forty-four-year-old brewery co-owner faces serious charges after allegedly breaking into a thirteen-year-old girl's home in Stanly County and committing sexual assault. Here's what may have happened.
Justin Brigham, co-founder and owner of Sycamore Brewing in Charlotte's South End, was arrested and charged with first-degree burglary, statutory rape of a child, and indecent liberties with a child. His bond was set at ten million dollars.
According to police reports, on Wednesday, December tenth, Brigham broke into a home along Furr Road in Stanfield. Investigators say Brigham and the thirteen-year-old victim had been communicating for two weeks through a popular social media app before the incident occurred.
The victim's parents discovered Brigham inside their daughter's bedroom. After the break-in, authorities say Brigham sexually assaulted the girl inside the residence. Deputies later found Brigham undressed in a nearby vehicle where he was arrested.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department assisted with executing a search warrant at a Charlotte address as part of the ongoing investigation. Investigators continue working to determine the full extent of how Brigham knew the victim and why she was specifically targeted.
Brigham co-founded Sycamore Brewing with his wife Sarah in two thousand thirteen, building it into one of North Carolina's most popular breweries. Hours after the charges became public, Sarah Brigham posted a statement on the brewery's Instagram page saying she was devastated by the charges and the pain inflicted on their family and others.
In her statement, Sarah Brigham announced she would assume full leadership of the company, stating quote Brigham will no longer have any involvement in the company end quote. She added quote To our employees, customers, and partners, I am devastated by the charges against Justin and the pain this has inflicted on our family and others. Effective immediately, I am assuming full leadership of the company. Justin is divesting all of his interest and will have no further involvement end quote.
All suspects presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Do not take this report as factual, always verify facts. Thanks for watching Arrest Stories.