A case that began over two years ago due to a mistakenly sent text message has resulted in three guilty verdicts. Brant Perkins, 56, of Boothbay Harbor and formerly of Edgecomb, was found guilty of sexual abuse of a minor, a class C felony; and two counts of tampering with a victim, both class B felonies, in Lincoln County Superior Court Wednesday, July 1.
Three other charges related to the case – possession of sexually explicit material, a class C felony; tampering with a witness or informant, a class C felony; and violation of condition of release, a class E misdemeanor – remain pending.
Sentencing for the guilty verdicts will most likely take place after the outstanding charges against Perkins are resolved, court officials said. Perkins has been held without bail at Two Bridges Regional Jail since his arrest in January for allegedly tampering with a witness or informant and violation of condition of release.
“The people involved in this case were very happy to hear the verdicts,” Assistant District Attorney Jonathan Liberman said. “This has been pending for a long time and we’re very happy with the outcome.”
According to Perkins’ counsel, Justin Andrus, the guilty verdicts were a surprise and the defense will be filing an appeal once the sentence is final.
Perkins, formerly a karate instructor with the Maine Isshinryu Karate Academy in Randolph, was arrested outside the studio in March 2013 for allegedly having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old student. Perkins was 54 at the time.
According to an affidavit by Maine State Police Detective Joshua Birmingham, the investigation into Perkins stemmed from a text message meant for the minor but accidentally sent to an ex-girlfriend.
The accidentally sent text message was a pivotal piece of evidence for the state in the trial against Perkins.
The state also presented text messages sent to the victim by Perkins following his arrest, which instructed the victim to lie about their sexual relationship, as evidence.
Two of Perkins’ former roommates, the victim, and Birmingham were called as witnesses by the state. Perkins was the only witness called by the defense.
The long-delayed case, which underwent several continuances, motions to suppress, and a change in the defendant’s counsel, was decided within hours. The jury deliberated and returned a guilty verdict on the sexual abuse of a minor charge.
Due to the request of Andrus, the two counts of tampering with a victim were “tried to the court.” Once the jury was out for deliberations, additional evidence related to the two tampering with a victim charges was presented strictly to the court.
Justice Daniel Billings, who presided over the case, found Perkins guilty on both counts.
According to Andrus, the guilty verdict was a surprise because the victim testified she told Perkins she was 18 years old at the time of their relationship and no evidence was presented to the contrary.
“While we appreciate the jury’s work, we believe the verdict was in error and we’ll be appealing it,” Andrus said.
Andrus declined to comment on why the defense requested the tampering with a victim charges be “tried to the court.”
The initial investigation into Perkins’ relationship with his student netted a fourth charge, possession of sexually explicit material. According to court documents, Perkins’ cellphone allegedly contained pictures of prepubescent girls engaged in sexual activity with adult men.
In April, the court granted the defendant’s motion to sever the child pornography charge from the other charges due to the defense’s argument that the charge would prejudice the court against Perkins.
Perkins was arrested in January 2015 on the charge of tampering with a witness or informant for allegedly encouraging another one of his students to forge a journal in order to establish an alibi for the possession of sexually explicit material charge.
According to Birmingham’s affidavit, the student was allegedly driven to the store by Perkins and instructed to buy a journal and write that the two were in a private jiujitsu session at the date and time when the images were recorded on Perkins’ cellphone. Perkins was also charged with violation of condition of release.
Perkins will reappear in court on the three pending charges in August, Andrus said. Liberman will continue to represent the state in the pending charges and Andrus anticipates he will continue to represent the defendant.
