Iowa human trafficking victim who killed alleged rapist ordered to pay $150,000 and serve probation
09/14/2022 1:28 pm PDT
DES MOINES, Iowa (TCD) -- A 17-year-old human trafficking victim was sentenced to serve five years of supervised probation and ordered to pay $150,000 in restitution after killing her alleged 37-year-old rapist when she was just 15 years old.
In June 2020, the Des Moines Police Department announced that Zachary Brooks was found stabbed to death in his home. An investigation was reportedly launched.
According to the Des Moines Register, Pieper Lewis was homeless at the time when she stabbed Brooks 30 times with a knife she found on the nightstand near where he allegedly raped her. Brooks had reportedly raped Lewis five times in the weeks before his death.
Lewis told the Des Moines Register that growing up, her adoptive mother, who brought her in from foster care at age 3, was "mentally and emotionally abusive." She allegedly ran away from home multiple times from January through March 2020 and eventually went to live with her older sister at the Oakview Terrace Apartment complex.
According to the Des Moines Register, after an argument, Lewis moved out and began sleeping in hallways. A 40-year-old man in the apartment complex allegedly brought Lewis in to live with him, beat her, provided her with cocaine, and tried to force her to have sexual relations with his cousins.
Lewis reportedly went back to sleeping in the hallways of the complex, and she met a 28-year-old male musician who took her in.
Lewis met her alleged rapist at a house party, and the musician had her stay with him in May 2020, according to the Des Moines Register. Brooks allegedly gave Lewis alcohol and marijuana, and he raped her while she was unconscious.
The Des Moines Register notes that Iowa’s age for sexual consent is 16, but teens ages 14 and 15 can consent with people who are no more than 48 months older than them.
On May 31, 2020, the 28-year-old musician allegedly forced Lewis to go to Brooks’ apartment again, threatening her with a knife. Brooks had reportedly planned to pay the musician for sex acts with Lewis in exchange for $50 worth of marijuana.
Brooks allegedly forced Lewis to strip naked. According to the Des Moines Register, Brooks and two other people made Lewis drink vodka and smoke marijuana as they watched a movie.
Lewis reportedly fell asleep, and when she woke up, Brooks was allegedly raping her. She screamed and tried to get him off of her, but he wouldn’t stop, the Des Moines Register reports.
After the alleged assault, Lewis saw a knife on the nightstand and stabbed Brooks on June 1, 2020.
According to Polk County court documents from October 2020, Lewis was charged with voluntary manslaughter and willful injury in connection with Brooks’ death.
On Nov. 17, Lewis reportedly pleaded guilty to the charges and was booked into the Polk County Juvenile Detention Center.
On Tuesday, Sept. 13, The Associated Press reports Lewis was officially sentenced in an Iowa court to five years of probation, and she must pay $150,000 in restitution to Brooks’ family. Lewis reportedly avoided up to 20 years in prison.
Additionally, Lewis will also have to serve 1,200 hours of community service.
According to The Associated Press, Lewis earned her GED while she was in the juvenile detention center.
During the sentencing hearing, which started last week, Lewis said, "My story can change things. My story has changed me."
Lewis added, "The events that took place on that horrific day cannot be changed, as much as I wish I could. That day a combination of complicated actions took place resulting in the death of a person, as well as a stolen innocence of a child."
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