August 22, 2019

Superseding indictment filed after third victim of sexual abuse comes forward

Today, Multnomah County District Attorney Rod Underhill announced the filing of a superseding indictment after law enforcement identified a third individual who reported being sexually abused by 58-year-old George Brotherton.

On July 27, 2019, the Portland Police Bureau executed a court-authorized search warrant in the 2700 block of Southwest 1st Avenue in Portland, Oregon. During the search warrant, law enforcement located and arrested Brotherton.

This investigation started on July 5, 2019 when a woman reported she was confronted by a man, later identified as Brotherton, who was armed with a knife, according to court documents. The woman was walking to work and Brotherton threatened to harm her and that while doing so, he grabbed her chest, according to court documents.

During this investigation, law enforcement learned the identity of a second woman who reported that on July 26, 2019, she was sleeping in an alcove on a sidewalk and that she woke up to a person, later identified as Brotherton, holding a knife to her throat whispering that he wanted to touch her, according to court documents. It is alleged that Brotherton sexually abused the woman and that during the alleged assault, an individual nearby saw what was occurring and confronted Brotherton, according to court documents. It is alleged that Brotherton assaulted the person who attempted to intervene and that he caused physical injury to that person.

Members of the Portland Police Bureau’s Detective Division and its Sex Crimes Unit have continued to investigate these alleged acts. During that time, a third individual came forward and reported that she was sexually abused on July 25, 2019.

According to the indictment, Brotherton is alleged to have unlawfully and knowingly, by means of forcible compulsion, subjected the female to sexual contact by touching multiple intimate parts of her body and that he did so while using a knife. 

At this time, law enforcement, including the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office, is requesting assistance from the public in determining whether or not there are additional victims.

Brotherton is charged with five counts of sexual abuse in the first degree, two counts of coercion, four counts of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of unlawful sexual penetration in the first degree, one count of assault in the second degree and one count of attempted assault in the second degree.

The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office is unable to release any additional information on this case due to the ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Detective Matt Estes at 503-823-0462 or matthew.estes@portlandoregon.gov.

Brotherton is scheduled to be arraigned August 22, 2019.

#MCDA#

Contact: Brent Weisberg, Communications Director

Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office

Phone: 503.988.6567 | Email: Brent.Weisberg@mcda.us