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Ex-Recruiter Gets Probation In Teen Sex Case

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By TODD LESKANIC

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 6, 2008

DADE CITY - A case that began with allegations of sexual misconduct ended Monday with a former Army recruiter pleading guilty to a misdemeanor and leaving the courthouse to begin serving six months of probation.

The outcome was hardly what investigators had in mind last year when they accused 30-year-old Bruce Roberts of having sex with a 17-year-old girl. That charge is a second-degree felony punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

But the case fizzled when, backed by her mother, the girl told attorneys she wasn't interested in having Roberts prosecuted. The loss of their key witness left prosecutors with a charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of a year in jail.

"She the victim was adamant she did not want any sex charge on him," said Roberts' attorney, Randall Grantham.
Grantham said Roberts' clean criminal record and distinguished 12-year career in the Army helped him earn the probationary sentence. Roberts also is required to undergo a sex offender evaluation and to seek any recommended treatment. He is not to have contact with the girl.

Roberts served two tours in Iraq before becoming a recruiter in the Army's Dade City office, Grantham said. He earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his service overseas. The Purple Heart came after he was struck in the face by shrapnel.

The Army disciplined Roberts by demoting him one rank and making him work 20-hour days for 45 days, Grantham said. He received a general discharge with honorable conditions after a separation hearing in October.

Roberts, a husband and father of two, has always denied any sexual encounter with the girl. He could not be reached for comment Monday.

Investigators said Roberts met the girl during an Army recruiting presentation at a Pasco County school. In November 2006, they had sex in a wooded area near Quail Hollow Boulevard and Old Pasco Road, according to an arrest affidavit. He was arrested Jan. 19, 2007.
Grantham said Roberts became friendly with some potential recruits. He began organizing training workouts for them to help them decide whether they wanted to enlist.

One night, some of the teens called and asked him to pick them up and drive them home from a party or a "camp out."
Grantham said other parents have referred to the get-together as a "drunken orgy."

Roberts drove the 17-year-old home. Later, he was accused of having sex with her.

"He put himself in a position where accusations could be made, but not easily defended," Grantham said.

Reporter Todd Leskanic can be reached at (352) 521-3156 or tleskanic@tampatrib.com.

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