Two sentenced in September 2007 home invasion

COLUMBIA — Two of five young men accused in a north Columbia home invasion last September, in which a 16-year-old girl was sexually assaulted, were sentenced to prison Monday.

Christopher Lee Jacobs, now 18, pleaded guilty to charges of second-degree robbery and first-degree burglary in the 13th Circuit Court. Jacobs received sentences of 15 years for the robbery and 7 years for the burglary, to be served concurrently.

Patrick J. Burgess, 16 at the time of the incident, pleaded guilty to charges of sexual assault and first-degree robbery in Circuit Court. Burgess received sentences of 7 years for the sexual assault and 18 years for the robbery, to be served concurrently.

The crime occurred on Sept. 18, 2007, when the parents of five children, ages 7 to 16, left their home for an evening out. Five young men, at least one of whom was armed, waited for the parents to depart before entering the house on Citadel Drive and binding some of the children with duct tape. The men, who covered their faces with bandanas, ransacked the house, stealing anything of value, including a Sony PlayStation 2, jewelry, food, household furnishings and change, according to previous Missourian reports. The oldest daughter, 16 at the time of the incident, was then raped and sodomized.

Also charged in the crime were Jarrod Lilly, 29 at the time of the incident, and twin brothers Jamie C. and James T. Harris, 15 at the time of the incident, who were certified to stand trial as adults. All three face charges of felonious restraint, forcible rape, forcible sodomy, first-degree burglary, first-degree robbery and armed criminal action, according to Missouri Casenet. As of Monday, all three await hearings on July 7, with jury trials scheduled for July 8.