Brian S. Stapleton, 32, pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct. He received a 25-year prison sentence after he admitted to sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl.
Brian S. Stapleton, 32, pleaded guilty to first-degree criminal sexual conduct. The victim’s mother reported the crime to the Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 8, 2011. The responding deputies found Stapleton partially clothed and pretending to sleep in a nearby wooded area. Stapleton is a distant relative of the victim’s family and he had been invited to spend the night at the victim’s home.
The victim was taken to Spartanburg Regional Medical Center where she underwent a sexual assault examination. The victim also described the crime in detail during a forensic evaluation at the Children’s Advocacy Center.
When deputies interviewed Stapleton, he gave an implausible explanation of the sequence of events.
Assistant Solicitor Susan Reese used forensic and medical evidence to present her case.
“The victim is a precious young lady who has been through a lot,” Reese said. “She will hopefully continue to make progress in her recovery and live a happy life.”
Stapleton will serve 80 percent of Circuit Judge Derham Cole’s prison sentence before he is eligible for release. He will also have his name added to the Sex Offender Registry.
The defendant’s prior criminal record includes multiple convictions for property, traffic and drug offenses.