By JEFFREY SMITH
Leader staff writer
Ward District Court probation officer Mark Brooke allegedly exchanged sex for community service hours with two female probationers according to a search warrant affidavit issued in Lonoke County Circuit Court.
Brooke, 53, who’s married, was arrested last week by the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office for allegedly soliciting prostitution from an undercover officer posing as one of his probationers. He was charged with sexual solicitation and theft of services for improper use of a city-issued cell phone. Both are misdemeanors, but the case is being handled in circuit court.
Brooke has plea and arraignment at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 6 at the Lonoke County Courthouse.
He is the son of Mayor Art Brooke and a pastor at Cornerstone Assembly church. The Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office set up a sting after receiving complaints about Mark Brooke’s conduct.
WOMAN NUMBER ONE
According to the arrest affidavit, the sheriff’s office received a report last June from a woman being held at the Lonoke County Detention Center. She alleged that she had sex with Brooke on several occasions while she was on probation through Ward District Court. The sex was in exchange for compensation for her probation and/or community service.
She said Brooke took her to different motels in Pulaski and Lonoke counties, where they had sex. She said one motel in North Little Rock near I-40 had a swimming pool. The woman said she heard of other probationers who had similar encounters with Brooke.
WOMAN NUMBER TWO
On Jan. 3, a second female probationer reported to the sheriff’s office alleging sex in exchange for community service hours with Brooke. The woman said she was on probation in Ward District Court. She told detectives she was scared to deny sex to Brooke. He told her about different women on probation with him who made allegations against him. He said he had them arrested for violating their probation.
According to the woman the first day she reported to Brooke’s office for community service he took her during business hours to a hotel off I-40 near the JFK Exit. Brooke told her that he was taking her to the “Hot Tub.”
She told investigators she did not have sex with him then. Brooke had her remove her clothes and get into a hot tub with him, who was also nude.
The woman said she would receive hours of community service for the time spent with him at the hotel. She said they met multiple times during the summer of 2016.
The woman provided investigators the hotel location and a room key card for the hotel from one of the times they met.
She said she met with Brooke and did what he asked for fear of going to jail.
Detectives confirmed the information with the hotel in North Little Rock. They obtained documents through a subpoena that showed Brooke renting a room in June, July and August 2016. One of the rooms was the same room number on the key card provided by the woman.
WOMAN NUMBER THREE
On Jan. 17, the sheriff’s office had a female deputy go undercover to investigate the allegations made against Brooke. The deputy went to Ward District Court on a made up charge and was sentenced to probation. She met with Brooke that evening.
According to the affidavit, Brooke almost immediately had an inappropriate conversation with her. They talked about her job as a stripper at the Paper Moon Club in Little Rock. Brooke talked about private shows and how he liked performing a sex act. The comments were made while he was advising the woman about her probation and when to contact him and when to come to his office.
The next day the undercover deputy received a call from Brooke. He said he wanted to meet up the same day for a “lap dance.” Brooke made several other calls to the deputy.
Investigators reported that Brooke’s conversations were clearly soliciting the woman for sex.
A meeting was set up and Brooke was taken into custody for sexual solicitation.
During an interview with detectives, Brooke confirmed he had a sexual relationship with one of the female probationers who reported the activities to the sheriff’s office and said he had taken her to hotels in North Little Rock.
He denied that it was in connection with her probation, claiming it was on a “personal level.”
Detectives believe there may be other women who have been or are currently on probation that Brooke had sex with and are continuing their investigation.
