Sex assault guilty plea calls for 9 days in jail, possible expungement for onetime athlete at Christian college in Twin Cities

Nine days in jail and the chance to eventually erase the crime from the public record altogether will be the sentence for one of two athletes at a Christian college in the western Twin Cities who were charged with the attempted sexual assault of a fellow student.

Michael F. Brewster, 24, pleaded guilty in Carver County District Court last week to second-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection with the incident that occurred in February 2020 at Crown College in St. Bonifacius.

Co-defendant Harvey Michael Holcombe, 23, remains charged with the same count as well as third-degree criminal sexual conduct. Holcombe is scheduled to go on trial in September.

Authorities say that Holcombe and Brewster overpowered a 19-year-old student, stripped him of some of his clothing and attempted to sexually assault him. One of the suspects described the incident as a prank that went awry, according to the Sheriff's Office.

In exchange for Brewster's guilty plea, the prosecution agreed to dismiss a third-degree criminal sexual conduct charge and signed off on other terms.

Rather than be given a state guidelines sentence of 8 ½ years, the plea deal calls for Brewster to be on probation for 15 years. With credit for time in jail after his arrest, Brewster is left with three days to serve.

If he abides by the terms of his probation, the conviction would then come off his record under what is called a stay of adjudication. Sentencing before Judge Michael Wentzell is scheduled for July 30.

The absence of a conviction means "he could get an expungement" five years after he's off probation, meaning the case would be sealed from public view, defense attorney Eric Newmark said Tuesday.

Deputy County Attorney Peter Ivy said that "because this case is still active, the Carver County Attorney's Office will provide comments after the sentencing has concluded."

Newmark said he assumes his client will be called as a witness against Holcombe should that case go to trial but added, "there is no cooperation agreement as part of his plea."

Brewster, who is from La Crescent, Minn., was a junior at the time of the incident and began his college athletic career playing football and later joined the tennis team.

Holcombe, who is from Locust Grove, Va., was a senior and played four seasons on the soccer team.

Crown College has about 1,300 students and fields teams in various sports at the Division III level of the NCAA.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482