Former Missouri Sheriff's Deputy Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing a Teenage Girl While She Was Detained

Former Missouri Sheriff's Deputy Pleads Guilty to Sexually Abusing a Teenage
Girl While She Was Detained

WASHINGTON, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Steven W. Burgess, a former
Jackson County, Mo., sheriff's deputy, pleaded guilty in federal court today
to violating the civil rights of a teenage girl whom he sexually assaulted in
his patrol car, the Justice Department announced.

Burgess, 35, of Independence, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge
Ortrie D. Smith to the charge contained in an April 7, 2009, federal
indictment. As part of his plea, Burgess admitted that while he was a deputy
sheriff with the Jackson County Sheriff's Department, he deprived a
15-year-old girl of her Constitutional rights by sexually assaulting her while
she was in his custody.

Under the terms of today's plea agreement, the government and Burgess agree
that a sentence of 14 years in federal prison without parole is appropriate in
this case. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a
pre-sentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

Burgess, then on-duty and in uniform as a deputy sheriff, encountered the
victim (identified as "C.B.") and some friends in Haynes Park in Sibley, Mo.,
on July 24, 2007. Burgess told her friends to leave the park and ordered C.B.
to stay at the park with him. Burgess then put C.B. in handcuffs and, while
patting her down, inappropriately touched her in a sexual manner. Burgess
removed the handcuffs and compelled her to perform oral sex on him.

Burgess violated the victim's right not to be deprived of liberty without due
process of law, which includes the right to bodily integrity. Burgess used
force against his victim and placed her in fear of death, serious bodily
injury and kidnapping.

"A law enforcement officer who abuses his authority by sexually assaulting a
child not only violates the law, but also the child's civil rights and the
public trust," Assistant Attorney General Thomas E. Perez for the Civil Rights
Division said. "The Civil Rights Division will aggressively prosecute any
person who, while purporting to act as a law enforcement officer, violates the
most basic Constitutional rights of our citizens."

"Law enforcement officers have a sworn duty to uphold the law, but in this
case a uniformed officer violated both his oath and the law by sexually
assaulting a 15-year-old girl while she was in his custody," U.S. Attorney
Matthew J. Whitworth for the Western District of Missouri said. "We will not
tolerate such a heinous offense, especially by an officer abusing his position
of authority. A violation of one person's civil rights is a crime against the
entire community. A long prison term will hold him accountable for his
repugnant behavior and make it clear that nobody is above the law."

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney K. Michael Warner and
Civil Rights Division Trial Attorney Eric L. Gibson. It was investigated by
the Jackson County, Mo., Sheriff's Department and the FBI.

SOURCE U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs, +1-202-514-2007, TDD
+1-202-514-1888