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Loudoun County skirt-wearing rapist won’t go on sex offender registry as judge reverses decision

The reverse decision has left one of the victim’s family 'heartbroken'

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VIRGINIA: A Loudoun County juvenile court judge has reversed her initial ruling in the case of a skirt-wearing rapist who assaulted at least two girls inside bathrooms of two different high schools in May and October 2021, respectively. The 15-year-old boy whose name has not been disclosed was convicted of two counts of sodomy relating to the incident on May 28, 2021, at Stone Bridge High School, and another incident at Broad Run High School on October 6 last year.

After which, on January 12, he was put on probation as well as placed in a juvenile rehabilitation center until he is 18 by Judge Pamela Brooks. Brooks had also agreed with the prosecution to put the name of the convict on the adult sex offender registry. However, the judge has now changed one of her own decisions and ruled that the teenager won’t have to register as a sex offender.

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At the Thursday hearing, January 27, Brooks said, “This court made an error in my initial ruling. The court is not vain enough to think it’s perfect, but I want to get it right.” She also quoted studies that claim “adolescent brains don’t stop developing till age 27,” before adding: “Perhaps this will provide some additional information for the national conversation.”

The ruling came after the felon’s probation officer, Jason Bickmore, opposed the initial decision to put his name on the sex offender registry. He had cited studies that stated that teenage sex offenders put on the register have higher chances of repeating the crime again. Bickmore also said that the juvenile justice system’s aim is to rehabilitate and not punish.

The teen’s lawyers – William Mann, Caleb Kershner, and Jonathan Monroe – have also always portrayed him as innocent. In his closing arguments, Kershner said his client’s been “cheated” by the “failure of the system.” He added: “We are setting him up for failure. We’ve never concentrated on [the boy] — we’re not even giving this young man a chance.”

However, the new decision has left one of the victim's family “heartbroken”. Scott Smith, the father of the Stone Bridge High School victim, released a statement that read, “My wife and I are not just heartbroken about today’s ruling, we are quite frankly mad at how the justice system and the Loudoun Commonwealth’s attorney has let down both our daughter, as well as the other victims of his predatory actions.”

It continued, “The person who has committed these horrible crimes against these three young women will now, due to the errors of the county prosecutor, not have to bear the shame at being known as a lifetime registered sex offender, as he was originally sentenced."

“We are now concerned, more than ever, that this change in his legal status may put other parents’ daughters at risk of harm in the future. Despite today’s ruling, we continue to be committed to making sure that justice prevails in our daughter’s case, both now and in the future,” Smith added.

The reversed verdict has also attracted a lot of attention online as a user tweeted, “Great... So basically, you don't get put on the registry if you rape someone... as long as you wear a dress.” Another one said, “Oh that's bullsht! I hope the Ag goes after the individuals who authorized that!” “A predator goes scott-free. They won't ‘set him up to fail’, but they WILL set him up to rape. Oh well, maybe it's his victims fault for being actual women,” an angry tweet read.

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