Wife who co-founded Sycamore Brewery with husband ‘devastated’ by his rape charge
The woman who co-founded Sycamore Brewery in Charlotte with her husband said she is “devastated” by a rape charge against her husband involving a 13-year-old girl “and the pain this has inflicted on our family and others.”
Justin Tawse Brigham, 44, was charged with three felonies, including statutory rape of a child under 15, first-degree burglary, and indecent liberties with a child.
In a statement on social media Thursday, Sycamore Brewing co-owner and co-founder Sarah Taylor said she will assume “full leadership of the company,” effective immediately.
“Justin is divesting all of his interest and will have no further involvement,” she said. “Our team remains my highest priority as a Mom and business owner.”
Sarah Taylor could not be reached Friday for further comment.
Brigham, who is listed as the brewery’s co-owner in state business records, was arrested by the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday, according to an arrest warrant.
The warrant said Brigham was accused of breaking into a Stanfield house and raping the girl while others were home.
Judge Tou Thai Vang set Brigham’s bond at $10 million.
The judge ordered that Brigham surrender his passport, banned him from leaving the state, ordered him not to have contact with the victim, and ordered him to not be on any social media platform, court records said.
Judge: High bond intended ‘to protect the community’
The judge said Brigham “does not have a significant criminal history, traffic offenses and a shoplifting charge that the D.A. dismissed without leave,” according to court documents.
“However, the court finds that the facts alleged are so egregious, that the defendant went to the victim’s home in the middle of the night, and the age of the victim, the court is setting this bond to protect the community.”
Brigham’s next appearance in Stanly County Criminal District Court is scheduled for 9 a.m., Dec. 29, court records show.
Brewery’s longtime presence in Charlotte
The couple opened Sycamore Brewing in 2016. There’s a taproom location in South End and a 31,000-square-foot production facility and cannery in North End. The company later branched out to Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
“Justin and I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into six years ago when we decided to turn our love for craft beer into our lives and livelihood,” Sarah Taylor told CharlotteFive in 2019.
At the time, the brewery had been awarded two bronze medals at The Great American Beer Festival for its Sun Grown Lager entry.
Also in 2019, the brewery’s cans debuted on grocery store shelves across Charlotte.
That “marked a turning point for Sycamore,” Sarah Taylor said. “Our third Great American Beer Festival medal for our lager recipe cemented the fact that we are making exceptional beer, and I am endlessly proud to say that we make the best American lager in the Southeast.”
Staff writer Catherine Muccigrosso contributed.