Phelps County man pleads guilty to child molestation, rape

Robert “BJ” Branson, 38, of Dixon, entered a guilty plea on Wednesday to first-degree child molestation and two counts of second-degree statutory rape, according to the official release.

In March of 2011, the 11-year-old victim reported years of abuse by Branson. The release says Branson was charged, but the case was dropped in 2012 when the victim recanted her allegations telling the police that her aunt had put her up to it.

“On March 11, 2016, Branson’s victim ran away from Branson while at the grocery store. The victim reported to Dixon Police that Branson had been raping her since she was a small child. Detective Neil Boshoff of the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case,” says the release.

The victim reported that Branson had convinced her to recant in 2012.

Detective Boshoff recovered a pair of jean shorts from the victim which tested positive for Branson’s semen.

Branson will be sentenced on September 7, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. and faces up to 44 years in prison.