Teen trafficking victim ordered to pay $150K in restitution to family of rapist she killed
A teenage sex-trafficking victim who stabbed her accused rapist to death was ordered to pay $150,000 restitution to the man’s family and sentenced to five years of closely-supervised probation by a judge in Iowa on Tuesday.
Pieper Lewis was a 15-year-old runaway when she stabbed her 37-year-old abuser, Zachary Brooks, more than 30 times in a Des Moines apartment in June 2020.
Lewis, now 17, was originally charged with first-degree murder for the fatally stabbing. Last year, she pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and willful injury. Each charge is punishable to up to 10 years in prison.
Polk County District Judge David M. Porter deferred Lewis’ prison sentence on Tuesday— meaning if she violates her probation she could be sent to prison to serve 20 years.
The judge said Lewis was ordered to pay the estate of her rapist because the court was “presented with no other option,” adding that the restitution is mandatory under Iowa state law.
She will be moved to a halfway house in Des Moines where she will wear a GPS tracking device to ensure she does not fall “back into the lifestyle that you thus far left,” Porter said, according to the New York Times. She will additionally be required to complete 200 hours of community service.
Something does not pass the smell test here.....Why would her lawyer have her plead out if she was a sex trafficking victim?
A teenage sex-trafficking victim who stabbed her accused rapist to death was ordered to pay $150,000 restitution to the man’s family and sentenced to five years of closely-supervised probation by a judge in Iowa on Tuesday.
Pieper Lewis was a 15-year-old runaway when she stabbed her 37-year-old abuser, Zachary Brooks, more than 30 times in a Des Moines apartment in June 2020.
Lewis, now 17, was originally charged with first-degree murder for the fatally stabbing. Last year, she pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and willful injury. Each charge is punishable to up to 10 years in prison.
Polk County District Judge David M. Porter deferred Lewis’ prison sentence on Tuesday— meaning if she violates her probation she could be sent to prison to serve 20 years.
The judge said Lewis was ordered to pay the estate of her rapist because the court was “presented with no other option,” adding that the restitution is mandatory under Iowa state law.
She will be moved to a halfway house in Des Moines where she will wear a GPS tracking device to ensure she does not fall “back into the lifestyle that you thus far left,” Porter said, according to the New York Times. She will additionally be required to complete 200 hours of community service.
Something does not pass the smell test here.....Why would her lawyer have her plead out if she was a sex trafficking victim?
