Monday, Judge James E. Doyle IV sentenced Paul Brooks in Furnas County District Court to 25 to 35 years with a mandatory minimum of 15 years. Paul Douglas Brooks, also known as Doug Brooks, age 64, was convicted by a jury of 1st Degree Sexual Assault of a Child after a four-day trial this past June.
The case started as a human trafficking investigation in which the 15-year-old victim was sexually assaulted by multiple men over a 6-month timetable in 2019. Overall, 18 men, including Brooks, were arrested for crimes related to this case. Of the 18 men arrested, William “Billy” Quinn received the largest sentence in December of 2021 of 176.5 years to a maximum of 304 years in prison for his role in trafficking the victim.
This case represents the concluding sentencing related to the 2019 human trafficking case in Furnas County. “Today marks the final chapter in a tragic story of the exploitation and trafficking of a young victim in rural Nebraska. We honor the victim for having the courage and strength to confront her abusers and hold them accountable for their actions. We thank the law enforcement officers who worked hundreds of hours while bringing these men to justice. Finally, we ask all Nebraskans to learn the signs of human trafficking and join us in ending this predatory conduct,” says Attorney General Hilgers.
Corey O’Brien, Sandy Allen, Anna Brewer, Tina Oliver, and Ed Sexton from the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office aided in the investigation, arrest, and prosecution of the case. Morgan Farquhar, former Furnas County Attorney, also assisted in this case.
The investigation of this case involved numerous agencies, including the Furnas County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, Norfolk Police, Kearney Police, Sarpy County Sheriff’s Office, Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska Parole, Nebraska Probation, FBI Omaha, and the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
If you suspect someone in our state is a victim, report human trafficking to the Nebraska Human Trafficking Hotline 1-833-PLS-LOOK (1-833-757-5665).
