A former Saladworks and Wendy's manager who supplied drugs and alcohol to underage employees at Central Bucks County restaurants and at his Doylestown apartment pleaded guilty May 28 to seven criminal charges, including a felony drug count and two misdemeanor indecent assault charges.

Richard Brooks Jr., 33, now of Freehold, New Jersey, entered the plea before Bucks County Common Pleas Court Judge Raymond McHugh, who deferred sentencing to August 2026, according to the Bucks County Courier Times.

Brooks originally faced more than 50 felony charges, including multiple counts of corruption of minors. The Bucks County District Attorney's Office dropped most of those charges as part of the plea agreement.

How the case started

Plumstead Township Police opened the investigation after receiving a ChildLine report accusing Brooks of grooming an underage male employee at the Saladworks in the 4300 block of Swamp Road, according to the probable cause affidavit.

Over several months, police interviewed about a dozen current and former employees who worked with Brooks between 2020 and 2024. Male and female workers alleged Brooks gave them alcohol, medical marijuana and Adderall, all prescribed to him, when they were juveniles. The alleged conduct occurred at the restaurants and at Brooks's Doylestown apartment.

Brooks told police "he had a drug and alcohol problem while working at Saladworks" but denied supplying drugs or alcohol to underage employees at either business, the affidavit said. He also told authorities he did not know why employees were making accusations against him.

Sentencing ahead

Judge McHugh deferred sentencing to August 2026. The court had not publicly announced the exact date as of the Courier Times report published Aug. 25.