Fill out this form to email this article to a friend
Army recruiter accused of sex with teenage girl
By THOMAS LAKE
Published January 20, 2007
WESLEY CHAPEL - One night in November, in the woods off Quail Hollow Boulevard, two people fornicated inside a tent. This might not be anyone's business, except that authorities said it involved a man of 29 and a girl of 17. He was an Army recruiter. And she was a potential recruit. Staff Sgt. Bruce Thomas Roberts worked at an Army recruiting station in Dade City, according to a news release from Kevin Doll of the Pasco County Sheriff's Office. Part of Roberts' job was recruiting at schools. One day, he went to the girl's school to give a presentation on Army programs, Doll said. They met after she showed interest in the military. The girl's name and hometown were not released, nor was the name of her school. But Doll said the investigation began after one of the girl's parents learned of the tryst. Roberts, 29, of 22727 Sills Loop, Land O'Lakes, was arrested just after noon Friday and charged with unlawful sexual activity with a minor. He was held at the Land O'Lakes jail in lieu of $10,000 bail. Roberts has no prior criminal record in Florida. This charge is a second-degree felony. If convicted, he could spend as many as 15 years in prison. Times researcher Angie Drobnic Holan contributed to this report. Thomas Lake can be reached toll-free at 1-800-333-7505, ext. 6245 or tlake@sptimes.com.
[Last modified January 19, 2007, 23:34:53]
Share your thoughts on this story
Comments on this article
|
by PFC Moore
|
02/09/07 02:03 AM
|
|
As far as i know, i think one is innocent until proven quilty. No one really knows what happened, we're just speculating. If SSgt Roberts raped this girl then he needs to fry, but lets not think that its all recruiters or the US Army.
|
|
by billy
|
01/26/07 10:40 PM
|
|
if a 17 year old can go to prison for life for munder. Then why cann't they consent to sex.
|
|
by kelsey
|
01/24/07 10:19 PM
|
|
to carol&phill you know nothing of the situation.this girl was in my class.she dressed more modist then any girl in my class. I dont agree with this situation and i would havenever suspected that that was happening buti just wanted 2say, you're wrong
|
|
by Mom
|
01/22/07 11:23 PM
|
|
There is no excuse for an adult to have sex with a child. I am sure you would be astonished to see the number of cases like this if you researched it. Someone has to stop these people and protect our kids. These recruiters are out of control.
|
|
by carol
|
01/20/07 09:51 PM
|
|
they had sex b'cuz of how she dressd? how do explain rape of children and the elderly are they dressing sexy also
dont jump to conclusions there is alot of story not written here
|
|
by Phil
|
01/20/07 04:40 PM
|
|
Why don't these minors dress accordingly. They bring it on themselves allot of times. Their parents should be lucky it wasn't a child molester.
|
|
by Robert
|
01/20/07 03:49 PM
|
|
Please change his rank in your column to PVT Roberts cause he is done. Even if let go on civilian court the military will fry him. I hope I am his escort to prision in KY too.
|
|
by Dick
|
01/20/07 02:59 PM
|
|
I think the parents is to blame on these kind of sex acts. They should see how these young girls dress away from home.Just go to any ball park and see the way these girls carry on in their shot dressess and like to show their stuff. just go see foyos
|
|
by jack s
|
01/20/07 12:18 PM
|
|
Why are adults who have sexual intercourse with minors no longer charged with statutory rape? Why is this offense against our children being reduced to "unlawful activity". When Statutory Rape was enforced we never had the frequency of these offenses
|
|
News
Fifty years ago, they were screwed-up kids sent to the Florida School for Boys to be straightened out. But now they are screwed-up men, scarred by the whippings they endured. Read the story and see a video and portrait gallery.
Print
Email story
Comment
Email editor
