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In addition to the eight felonies, Brooks pleaded guilty to four misdemeanor charges: three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and one count of giving a malt beverage to a person less than 21 years of age.
Some of the offenses carry mandatory active sentences, and Brooks could spend almost 70 years in jail.
Brooks entered the pleas before Superior Court Judge Ronald Payne of Asheville. Due to an order issued by Superior Court Judge Marlene Hyatt on June 12, sentencing has been continued until Brooks has time to complete an evaluation for sex offenders. Brooks' sentencing could come as early as Sept. 24.
Before allowing Brooks to leave the courtroom, Payne issued orders that Brooks not be alone with children under 18 years of age, that he not be employed where children under 18 would be, and that he not be on school grounds or at school activities.
Brooks entered guilty pleas in order to spare the community additional pain, said his attorney, Reid Brown of Waynesville. He also wanted to put to rest community speculation about videotapes that might depict Blue Ridge students engaged in sex acts.
"(Brooks) felt like he should do the right thing and do it early, mainly to protect the children," Brown said. "The reason for the plea is to make sure people understand there are no tapes out there. I'm positive there are no videotapes out there."
Brooks tried but didn't succeed in videotaping the sex acts, Brown said.
"Even though he didn't complete the act, that doesn't mean he didn't try," said Brown.
Brooks will testify against "another defendant if necessary," said his lawyer, who confirmed that his client is "resigned to going to jail."
"Our highest concern has been for the young people of this county and for the expectations of the parents who send their children to school at Blue Ridge," District Attorney Charles Hipps said following the hearing at the Justice Center.
Timing had a lot to do with last week's plea agreement, Hipps said.
"(Brooks) was ready to stand up today and acknowledge his wrongdoing, and we were willing to let him," Hipps said. "There will be other trials, and I expect Mr. Brooks to be fully cooperative."
"It's been long and hard, and it's not over yet," Jackson County Sheriff's Department Detective Linda Sutton said of the investigation and the charges pending against two other defendants in the case.
Robbie Hess, 29, the school's former resource officer through his employment with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, was indicted July 23 on four counts of obstruction of justice, two counts of conspiracy, two counts of accessory before the fact to a felony and three counts of accessory after the fact to a felony. Hess resigned from the Sheriff's Department June 11 prior to charges being filed against him.
Jeremy Stewart, 18, a 2001 Blue Ridge graduate and star basketball player, was indicted on seven counts of statutory rape. He is accused of engaging in sexual intercourse with a 14-year-old Blue Ridge freshman.
The investigation at Blue Ridge began in early June when evidence of sex crimes at the school first came to light. Detectives determined that Brooks began to provide beer to students in December and that the situation escalated in February when students began performing sex acts with Brooks' encouragement. By April, Brooks, who was in his first year as athletic director, had become sexually involved with a student.
In discussing his client's pleas after the court session, Brown said problems at the school contributed to his client's wrongdoing. Blue Ridge has "serious problems," Brown said.
Though he would not elaborate on his statement last week, Brown did indicate that facts to support his claim would come out at Brooks' sentencing hearing.
Blue Ridge Principal Lib Balcerek declined comment on Brown's allegations of institutional problems at Blue Ridge; however, school officials have announced an impending internal investigation of Blue Ridge procedures. (See related story on page 1A.)
"Certainly with what (Brooks) has admitted to, if I were his lawyer I'd try to deflect responsibility as much as I could," said Jackson County Superintendent Mack McCary, who recommended Brooks' July 25 dismissal.
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