Legislator’s Field Aide Accused of Sex Crimes

An Antelope Valley businessman and civic figure who is an aide to a Tehachapi assemblyman is wanted on suspicion of committing sex crimes against a 12-year-old boy, authorities said Wednesday.

Los Angeles County sheriff’s detectives obtained a warrant Tuesday for the arrest of Howard L. Brooks, a 61-year-old field representative for Republican Assemblyman Phil Wyman, said Deputy Dist. Atty. Rouman Ebrahim.

The warrant accuses the Quartz Hill man of continuous sexual abuse, lewd acts with a child and possession of child pornography, Ebrahim said.

Brooks was executive director of the Antelope Valley Board of Trade for 12 years before taking the job with Wyman’s office this spring.

Authorities contend that Brooks abused the 12-year-old between March and November 2000. Brooks could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

The investigation began after sheriff’s investigators received a sexually explicit letter allegedly sent by Brooks to an inmate at California State Prison, Sacramento.

“It talked about sexual conduct with young boys,” Ebrahim said of the “pen-pal type” missive that was intercepted by prison authorities. “It was forwarded to the sheriff’s Family Crimes Bureau, where they started an investigation.”

Sheriff’s Det. Tim O’Quinn said authorities also are looking into whether there are additional victims. Their search is focusing on the Antelope Valley YMCA, where Brooks served as director in the 1980s, detectives said.

Sheriff’s officials said they expect Brooks to surrender as early as Friday.