News from Butler County Courts - Brian Stepp sentenced to 55 years by Judge Nastoff
following is from the 4/13/07 Cincinnati Enquirer
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070413/NEWS01/304130023
Defiant rapist gets 55 years
BY JANICE MORSE
HAMILTON – A convicted rapist who had been an international fugitive responded defiantly as a Butler County judge sentenced him to 55 years in prison this morning.
“I don’t care what you sentence me to, I’m an innocent man – I will get out,” Brian Stepp, 33, of Liberty Township, told Common Pleas Judge Andrew Nastoff.
Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper said later that, if Stepp were innocent, he would not have gone to England in an attempt to flee justice.
This is a very sociopathic, deceptive criminal, with a truly dark spirit and evil intent, who tries to come across as a victim himself – when in reality he represents the type of terror that lurks in the darkness and can grab any one of us at any time,” Piper said after the sentencing. “So the prosecutor’s office on behalf of the victims is incredibly grateful to Judge Nastoff and his very appropraite sentence of 55 years.”
A jury in February convicted Stepp of three counts of rape, three counts of kidnapping and a count of sexual battery. Authorities say he posed as a police officer and lured women into his car in 2003. One of the women spoke out in court today, and said she thought Stepp was a psychopath.
Stepp told the judge: “If you believe the crock of (expletive deleted) that they gave, that’s you... If you think I’m some kind of psychopath, I’m glad.. .I’m not the one that done anything to these people.”Nastoff had the last word: “Mr. Stepp, I’m glad you enjoyed your moment in the sun. Now it’s time to go to the dark. We’ll see ya.”Then a deputy led Stepp away.
The tense exchange happened in the same courtroom where Stepp was a no-show on July 12, 2004, as he fled to Canada. He was later captured in England in the Butler County Sheriff’s first case of returning a fugitive on an international arrest warrant.
Stepp’s mother and wife were earlier convicted of obstructing justice and placed on probation.
His former lawyer, Lawrence "Rusty" Thomas III, was acquitted of wrongdoing in the case. But Thomas’ mother, Robin, who was her son’s office secretary, pleaded guilty to allegations that she gave money to Stepp before he fled.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070413/NEWS01/304130023
Defiant rapist gets 55 years
BY JANICE MORSE
HAMILTON – A convicted rapist who had been an international fugitive responded defiantly as a Butler County judge sentenced him to 55 years in prison this morning.
“I don’t care what you sentence me to, I’m an innocent man – I will get out,” Brian Stepp, 33, of Liberty Township, told Common Pleas Judge Andrew Nastoff.
Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper said later that, if Stepp were innocent, he would not have gone to England in an attempt to flee justice.
This is a very sociopathic, deceptive criminal, with a truly dark spirit and evil intent, who tries to come across as a victim himself – when in reality he represents the type of terror that lurks in the darkness and can grab any one of us at any time,” Piper said after the sentencing. “So the prosecutor’s office on behalf of the victims is incredibly grateful to Judge Nastoff and his very appropraite sentence of 55 years.”
A jury in February convicted Stepp of three counts of rape, three counts of kidnapping and a count of sexual battery. Authorities say he posed as a police officer and lured women into his car in 2003. One of the women spoke out in court today, and said she thought Stepp was a psychopath.
Stepp told the judge: “If you believe the crock of (expletive deleted) that they gave, that’s you... If you think I’m some kind of psychopath, I’m glad.. .I’m not the one that done anything to these people.”Nastoff had the last word: “Mr. Stepp, I’m glad you enjoyed your moment in the sun. Now it’s time to go to the dark. We’ll see ya.”Then a deputy led Stepp away.
The tense exchange happened in the same courtroom where Stepp was a no-show on July 12, 2004, as he fled to Canada. He was later captured in England in the Butler County Sheriff’s first case of returning a fugitive on an international arrest warrant.
Stepp’s mother and wife were earlier convicted of obstructing justice and placed on probation.
His former lawyer, Lawrence "Rusty" Thomas III, was acquitted of wrongdoing in the case. But Thomas’ mother, Robin, who was her son’s office secretary, pleaded guilty to allegations that she gave money to Stepp before he fled.
posted by Scott @ 12:35 PM
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