Goodfellow airman who sexually assaulted child in Tom Green County found dead in jail cell

John Tufts | San Angelo

An Alabama airman who was stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base and convicted of sexually assaulting a child in Tom Green County was found dead in a San Antonio jail cell.

Robert D. Brice, 24, was being held at a confinement facility at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland when officials found him dead Dec. 5, 2019.

Two months prior to his death, Brice was convicted by general court-martial on Sept. 28 of two counts of sexual assault of a child, four counts of sexual abuse of a child, attempted sexual assault of a child, attempted sexual abuse of a child, and possession of child pornography, according to a Public Affairs spokesperson at Goodfellow Air Force Base.

On Nov. 25, Brice was sentenced to 8 years in prison, a dishonorable discharge, reduction in rank to E-1, and forfeiture of all pay and allowances, Goodfellow officials said.

Ten days later, guards found Brice unresponsive in the Medina Annex during a routine check, said Maj. Kim Bender, director of public affairs for the 502nd Air Base Wing, according to KSAT.com.

State of Texas vs. Robert Dean Brice

Brice was booked into Tom Green County Jail in September 2017 for second-degree online solicitation of a minor, punishable by two to 20 years in prison. A later arrest warrant also included the sex assault charge.

"Incidents like this are rare. The vast majority of the Airmen and civilians serving today are principled people who uphold our core values of Integrity, Service and Excellence," Goodfellow AFB officials said in a prior news release.

"However, when members do not uphold those values they must be held accountable to their actions," the release stated.

Brice arranged a meeting with a 13-year-old girl in August 2017 at Bell Park in the 500 block of Lowrie Avenue, according to an affidavit in the case.

He then sexually assaulted the girl in the backseat of his car, according to the affidavit.

Brice and the teen communicated online through the messenger app Whatsapp, stated court documents.

During an investigation, detectives posed as the teen and made contact with Brice using the girl's cellphone.

"(Brice) suggested meeting again," stated the affidavit. "He acknowledged the first meeting and sexual intercourse that had occurred. (Brice) then arranged for (the girl) and himself to meet again, proposing they once again engage in sexual intercourse."

Detectives arranged to meet Brice at the same location and arrested him when he arrive.

Brice was assigned to the 316th Training Squadron as a student within Goodfellow's 17th Training Wing.

John Tufts covers enterprise and investigative topics in West Texas. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com. Consider supporting West Texas journalism with a subscription to GoSanAngelo.com.