Sussex Mom Gets Three Months in Jail for Having Sex with Teen

A 24-year-old Sussex woman was sentenced Friday to three months in jail followed by three years of probation after pleading no contest to .

Brittany Barcus entered a plea bargain with the district attorney to lower her felony charges to two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree sexual assault. If convicted of her previous charges, Barcus would have been sentenced to up to 130 in prison and $300,000 in fines. 

In addition to her jail time and probation, Barcus must seek alcohol and drug treatment, be randomly tested to ensure absolute sobriety, have no other contact with minors outside her three children, attend parenting classes, seek a mental health evaluation and pay $736 in court fees. If she violates probation, Barcus will be sentenced to 18 months in jail.

"I understand the attention I gave him was inappropriate, and that wasn't my intention," Barcus told the judge. "I saw a boy with no food, no clothes, no housing, and it broke my heart."

If convicted of her previous charges, Barcus would have been sentenced to 130 in prison and $300,000 in fines. 

Barcus admitted to abusing alcohol and perscription drugs at the time.

The now 14-year-old boy she sexually assaulted is currently living with his father in Norway after acting out behaviorally and sexually after his relationship with Barcus. His mother was quoted saying, "I don't really care what happens to my kid as long as he's out of my hair."

According to the original criminal complaint: 

Barcus performed sexual acts with the victim on at least three times when her boyfriend wasn’t home at her residence in the N6500 block of Pewaukee Road. Barcus had befriended the boy prior to the assaults and would invite him to her home on a daily basis.

On one occasion, Barcus had sex with the boy in her laundry room while her children were sleeping. A neighbor also reported Barcus and the victim would walk around the neighborhood holding hands like they were boyfriend and girlfriend.

On one occasion, Barcus had sex with the boy in her laundry room while her children were sleeping.

The incident came to light after a neighbor suspected a sexual relationship when Barcus showed her a cell phone photo of the victim wearing shorts belonging to Barcus' 5-year-old son.

Barcus told the neighbor she had other photos but refused to show them, which raised the neighbor's suspicions further. The neighbor also said she had seen the two cuddling on the couch on previous occasions.

The neighbor also noticed a peculiar burn on both the hands of Barcus and the victim, which the victim later told police happened when Barcus had them place salt and ice on their hands.

Barcus told police the victim is “goofy,” but a good boy and she denied having a sexual relationship with him.

She was charged Sept. 23 in Waukesha County Circuit Court with three counts of sexual assault of a child under 16 years old.