(WWJ) – A convicted sex offender who was found guilty of raping a co-worker at a Macomb County Jimmy John’s sub shop has been sentenced to 10-15 years in prison.
Jerome Brown-Pegues, 36 at the time, was convicted back in January for the 2020 rape of a 17-year-old girl with special needs at the restaurant in Sterling Heights.
He had been charged with third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a second offense notice. A Macomb County jury took 30 minutes to return a guilty verdict.
He was sentenced Wednesday, with Assistant Prosecutor Mark Laws asking Judge Julie Gatti to impose the maximum sentence of 10-15 years in prison.
“If I were to impose any lesser sentence, I would not be doing my job of protecting the public,” Gatti said, per a press release from the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.
Authorities say Brown-Pegues made sexual advances toward the victim, who rejected him. He then “became aggressive” and forced her into a storage room inside the restaurant and sexually assaulted her.
The victim filed a lawsuit against the Jimmy John’s franchise holder, Turner Service Group. The lawsuit alleged the assault resulted in physical injuries and severe emotional distress for the victim.
The lawsuit was settled for $1.4 million in 2021. The lawsuit claimed the Turner Services Group knew that Brown-Pegues was on parole for sexual assault when they hired him. It also alleged numerous complaints were made to human resources about his inappropriate comments and behavior.
"Because of her special needs, obviously it's very difficult for her to fully understand why this man did this to her,” Attorney Ven Jognson told WWJ when the suit was filed. Many rape victims, they blame themselves. She did nothing wrong. She went to work and this guy took her in the room and obviously forced himself on her, and it's absolutely despicable misconduct."
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