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In October, Brinkman pleaded guilty in Butler County Common Pleas court to importuning and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He faced a maximum of 12 months in prison.
Today, Judge Greg Howard declared Brinkman a Tier I sex offender and sentenced him to nine months in jail. Brinkman, who has been free on bond, was taken from the courtroom in handcuffs.
Howard noted Brinkman is seeking treatment, has no past criminal record and spared the 13-year-old victim the pain of going through a trial when he considered the sentence.
Then the judge looked at Brinkman and said: “You were a police officer. You knew better.”
Howard also said the “child” victim should shoulder no blame for what happened.
“It is not her fault at all … hopefully this child can heal from what has happened,” Howard said. The judge said if the victim had responded from Brinkman’s requests on Snapchat, “we would likely be here for something much worse.”
Monroe officers were contacted on July 6 by a mother concerning messages her 13-year-old daughter had received via Snapchat, according to a Monroe police report. Brinkman repeatedly requested the teen to send sexual or revealing photos to him, according to court documents.
The teen’s father gave an emotional statement telling the judge his daughter trusted Brinkman because he was “Uncle Rob” to her. The families were friends and often vacationed together.
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“I have seen an innocent young girl completely destroyed,” the father said. “Rob was family to us, someone we all loved.”
Brad Kraemer, Brinkman’s attorney, said his client suffers from PTSD and has a problem with alcohol abuse, but is undergoing treatment.
“He is very remorseful,” Kraemer said. Brinkman never intended the case to go trial, the attorney said.
Brinkman also apologized for his “poor decision” to the victim’s family and his ex-wife.
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Brinkman was initially suspended from his job with Colerain Twp. pending outcome of an internal investigation, but has been terminated.
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