DISTRICT ATTORNEY - NEW YORK COUNTY

NEWS RELEASE
June 23, 2009

Contact: Alicia Maxey Greene
212-335-9400

Manhattan District Attorney Robert M. Morgenthau announced today the indictment and arrest of an Upper East Side man for raping and sexually assaulting 11 women, and the indictment of his personal assistant for having facilitated the sexual assaults of nine of the victims.

The defendant, JOSEPH BROOKS, 71, was indicted on multiple charges of rape, criminal sexual act, sexual abuse, forcible touching, assault, grand larceny, and criminal mischief. SHAWNI LUCIER, 42, of Washington state, was indicted on charges of criminal facilitation. The crimes charged in the 91-count indictment occurred between March 2005 and April 2008.

The investigation leading to today’s indictment revealed that BROOKS, a songwriter/producer/director, sexually assaulted the female victims in his apartment at 130 E. 63rd Street. The victims, whose ages ranged from 18 to 30, were lured to his apartment under the guise of an audition for an acting role. Ten of the 11 victims were flown by BROOKS on commercial airlines to New York from California, Florida, Oregon and Washington state. Nine of the 11 victims responded to an ad on Craigslist in 2008. The 2005 victim met BROOKS at an audition and he invited her to audition with him for a special project. The 2007 victim responded to a posting on a talent Web site. In many cases, the victims were forcibly raped. In many cases, the victims were incapacitated. In some cases, the victims were both forcibly assaulted and incapacitated.

The investigation further revealed that LUCIER, who is BROOKS’ personal assistant, knowing that BROOKS was sexual assaulting women whom he was purportedly auditioning, assisted him by soliciting and arranging the victims’ meetings with BROOKS.

BROOKS was arrested today and is scheduled to be arraigned this afternoon in State Supreme Court, Part 82. LUCIER is scheduled to turn herself in next week.

BROOKS was indicted on eight counts of Rape in the First Degree, a class B violent felony, which is punishable by up to 25 years in prison; eight counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a class B violent felony; two counts of Attempted Criminal Sexual Act in the First Degree, a class C violent felony, which is punishable by up to 15 years in prison; four counts of Rape in the Second Degree, a class D violent felony, which is punishable by up to 7 years in prison; seven counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree, a class D violent felony; 19 counts of Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a class D violent felony; one count of Assault in the Second Degree, a class D violent felony; four counts of Rape in the Third Degree, a class E felony, which is punishable by up to 4 years in prison; one count of Attempted Criminal Sexual Act in the Second Degree, a class E felony; six counts of Criminal Sexual Act in the Third Degree, a class E felony; one count of Attempted Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, a class E felony; one count of Grand Larceny in the Fourth Degree, a class E felony; 10 counts of Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, a class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 1 year in jail; seven counts of Forcible Touching, a class A misdemeanor; one count of Criminal Mischief in the Fourth Degree, a class A misdemeanor; one count of Attempted Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, a class B misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 90 days in jail; and one count of Sexual Abuse in the Third Degree, a class B misdemeanor.

LUCIER was indicted on nine counts of Criminal Facilitation in the Fourth Degree, a class A misdemeanor, which is punishable by up to 1 year in jail.

Mr. Morgenthau thanked New York City Police Department Detective Julia Collins-Jollon of the Manhattan Special Victims Squad, and her commanding officer Lieutenant Adam Lamboy.

Assistant District Attorney Maxine Rosenthal is in charge of the case, assisted by Assistant District Attorney James Zaleta, under the supervision of Assistant District Attorney Lisa Friel, Chief of the Sex Crimes Unit. Senior Investigator Lauren Liebhauser, of the District Attorney’s Office Investigation Bureau, assisted in the investigation under the supervision of Joseph Pennisi, Chief of the Investigation Bureau.

Defendant Information:

JOSEPH BROOKS, 3/11/1938
130 East 63rd Street
New York, New York

SHAWNI LUCIER, 6/27/1967
2824 SW 342nd Place
Federal Way, Washington

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