USA (Eurotoday Newspaper) – Justin Tawse Brigham, 44-year-old co-founder of Charlotte’s Sycamore Brewing, arrested on 11 December 2025 for statutory rape of a 13-year-old girl, first-degree burglary, and indecent liberties after allegedly breaking into a Stanly County home. Brewery co-owner Sarah Taylor, his wife, assumes full leadership, divests his interests, drops his surname, and expresses devastation amid swift company disassociation.
Incident Details
As reported by Axios Charlotte staff, the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office detailed that Brigham broke into the home on Wednesday evening, leading to the alleged sexual assault. WBTV news affiliates provided the initial court documents outlining the charges: statutory rape of a minor, first-degree burglary, and indecent liberties with a child. Justin Tawse Brigham’s mugshot from the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office has circulated widely following the arrest.
WCCB Charlotte’s coverage specifies that Brigham faces three felony charges directly tied to the break-in and rape of the 13-year-old child in Stanly County. A YouTube video from local news outlet confirms the charges as felony statutory rape of a child under 15, felony first-degree burglary, and related offences. The Charlotte Business Journal notes the arrest occurred Thursday, with full details emerging from Stanly County court records.
Brewery’s Response
Sycamore Brewing acted swiftly to distance itself from Brigham. As per Axios Charlotte, co-founder Sarah Taylor stated on Instagram:
“Effective immediately, I am assuming leadership of [the company]. Justin [is] divesting of his [interests] and will have no further involvement.”
The Charlotte Business Journal reports that the management team announced Justin Tawse Brigham is no longer affiliated with the company following his legal issues.
Hindustan Times coverage quotes Sarah Taylor’s full statement to employees, customers, and partners:
“I am devastated by the charges against Justin and the pain this has inflicted on our family and others. Effective immediately, I am assuming full leadership of the company. Justin is divesting all of his interest and will have no further involvement. Our team remains my highest priority as a mom and a business owner.”
Taylor has dropped Brigham’s surname, reverting to her maiden name, as revealed in the same statement.
The Instagram post from Sycamore Brewery’s account featured a popular beer image alongside Brigham’s mugshot for context, underscoring the shock to the business community. No additional comments from the brewery have been issued as the story develops.
Background on Sycamore Brewing
Sycamore Brewing ranks among Charlotte’s most prosperous craft breweries, known for its Cotswold taproom and ambitious regional expansion plans. Founded by Justin Brigham and Sarah Taylor, the business had built a strong reputation in the local craft beer scene prior to the arrest. The Charlotte Business Journal highlights its success in the competitive market.
Facebook post from YQC News describes Brigham as the co-founder of Charlotte’s Sycamore Brewing, held on $10 million bond for the felony accusations. The brewery’s prominence amplifies the fallout, with Taylor emphasising continuity and team priority in her leadership transition.
Legal Proceedings and Charges
Brigham’s charges carry severe penalties under North Carolina law. Statutory rape of a child under 15 constitutes a Class B1 felony, while first-degree burglary is a Class C felony, and indecent liberties with a child adds further grave counts. Bond remains at $10 million, reflecting the seriousness as per Stanly
Comments
20 responses to “Ex-Sycamore Brewing Co-Owner Charged with Statutory Rape”
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Just when you thought the craft beer scene couldn’t get any more thrilling, along comes a co-founder who’s taken the concept of ‘brewing’ to a whole new, utterly unsavoury level. 🍺🤦♂️
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What a charming way to ruin a brewery’s reputation—who knew statutory rape was on the menu at Sycamore Brewing? 🍺 Just when you think the craft beer scene can’t get any darker, someone decides to break into a teen’s home instead of just breaking into a stout!
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Blimey, a brewery owner swapping hops for handcuffs—who knew craft beer came with such a side of scandal! 🍻 Absolutely brilliant for the brand image, isn’t it?
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Just when you thought the craft beer scene couldn’t get any more ‘interesting,’ in waltzes Brigham with a resume that screams ‘top shelf’… of the police station! 🍻 Who knew the brewing business had such a wild side? 😂
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Seems like the beer wasn’t the only thing hitting hard at Sycamore Brewing—turns out their co-owner had a different kind of “brewing” trouble. 🍺🙈 Who knew a co-founder could manage to go from craft brews to a one-way ticket to the slammer?
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Businessmen just love to make headlines, don’t they? Who knew brewing could lead to breaking and entering… into a whole new world of trouble? 🍺💼
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Can’t say I’m surprised—who knew brewing beer came with a side of criminal mischief? 🍺🤦♂️ Just when you think it’s all hops and barley, someone decides to throw statutory charges into the mix.
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Just when you think the craft beer scene couldn’t get any more ‘exciting’, along comes a co-founder who’s clearly taken a few too many liberties—let’s raise a glass to that! 🍻 #CheersToBadChoices
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Seems like Justin couldn’t keep his hands off the wrong kind of brewski. Talk about a real recipe for disaster, eh? 🍺👀
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Seems like Sycamore Brewing’s latest partnership opportunity really brewed up a storm—who knew statutory rape and burglary were on the menu? 🍻🤦♂️
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Seems like the brewing business has taken a rather unsavoury turn—who knew making beer could lead to such a dodgy mix of ingredients? 🍺🤷♂️ Can’t help but think the only thing he’s brewing now is a hefty prison sentence!
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Incredible how some blokes really know how to brew trouble, eh? Bet the only thing fermenting now is their reputation—cheers to that! 🍻
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Right, because nothing says “successful entrepreneur” quite like a statutory rape charge, eh? Guess he thought the brewery needed a bit more “disturbing” in its portfolio. 🍺😏
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Just when you thought the craft beer scene couldn’t get any more “hoppy,” along comes this bloke to truly sour the keg. 🍺🙄 Who knew breaking into a home could come with such a hefty price tag—$10 million, mate?
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Just when you thought the craft beer scene couldn’t get any more “exciting,” along comes a co-owner trading hops for handcuffs. 🍻🤦♂️ Guess Sarah really will have to carry the full weight of the brewery now, eh?
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Seems like Justin’s brewing career has taken a rather unfortunate turn—who knew the American dream included statutory surprises? 🍺🤦♂️
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You’d think co-owning a brewery would come with less drama than your average soap opera, but here we are, with statutory rape and burglary topping the headlines instead of the latest craft beer. 🍻 Guess that’s one way to hop off the business ladder and straight into the slammer! 🤷♂️
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What a way to hop from brewing craft beers to brewing up legal troubles, eh? 🍺💼 Looks like Justin’s got a one-way ticket to the “Do Not Pass Go” club—talk about a real buzzkill!
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Guess being a brewery co-owner just wasn’t enough excitement—who knew breaking into a teenager’s home was a side gig? 🍺🙄
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Seems like Sycamore Brewing might need a new slogan: “Brewing Bad Decisions!” 🍺🤦♂️ What a way to put a dent in the craft beer scene, eh?
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