Prosecution rests after multiple juvenile witnesses take the stand in Briggs trial

REXBURG — After four days, the state has rested in the trial of alleged child abuser Brandon Briggs.

Defense testimony began in late morning Friday, Dec. 11. Court officials expect the jury could begin deliberations later this afternoon or evening.

More juvenile witnesses spoke against Briggs Thursday, Dec. 10, during the third day of his trial.

Two teenagers and their mother spent most of Thursday morning on the stand relating Briggs’ relationship to the family and alleged instances of abuse. The boys were among a number of adults and teenagers who worked with Briggs to chop and bring in loads of firewood from Yellowstone.

The mother said she knew her sons were spending a lot of time with Briggs and it was something she was uncomfortable with. Briggs often hung out with them while she was working. Briggs would come to family outings, and the kid’s sporting events. The family also invited Briggs to a family camping trip at Kilgore in Clark County.

“If he was getting to know my kids, I wanted to get to know him too,” she said.

After returning home from the trip she found Briggs didn’t sleep in the tent he had set up for himself.

“I found out afterwards that he slept in their (the boys) tent,” she said.

Every time the mother reacted and attempted to put an end to her sons spending time with Briggs he would react, and continue to pursue the boys. The mother said Briggs was likable and convincing.

“He didn’t have the best (childhood) and he wanted my kids to have better – those were his exact words,” she said.

The mother said she saw text messaging conversations between Briggs and one of her sons where Briggs would say he loved her son. She confronted him on the matter, and Briggs acted as if it was nothing serious. She said when she would check her son’s phone, often and it appeared various messages wouldn’t make sense in sequence, leading her to believe many had been deleted.

One of the teens said Briggs didn’t touch him, but requested explicit photos, which the boy provided on Snapchat.

The other teen, who is several years older, recounted being touched and sexually assaulted by Briggs on various occasions. He said Briggs would kiss him and said it was to prepare him to kiss other girls.

The prosecution told the court Briggs frequently bought the boys gifts and clothes. At the beginning of the case, Prosecuting Attorney Sid Brown said Briggs would treat these boys as if they were in a relationship. After interaction was over between him and a boy, Briggs would ask for his gifts back.

“It was like a break-up,” Brown said.

Briggs is facing ten felony counts, including multiple charges of lewd conduct with a child under 16, sexual abuse by soliciting a minor under 16 to participate in a sexual act and enticing through the internet.

EastIdahoNews.com will have the latest information on the trial as it develops today.

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