Man gets prison time for sexually abusing multiple young victims
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IDAHO FALLS — A 53-year-old man was sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to child sexual abuse.
Jay Burris from Casper, Wyoming, was sentenced by District Judge Michael Whyte to a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 25 years in prison.
Burris was charged with felony child sexual abuse in December and accepted a plea agreement in January. He agreed to plead guilty in return for the defense and prosecution, recommending a minimum sentence of five years in prison.
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Sentencing
During sentencing, Whyte noted that although Burris was only charged with one count, two victims were included in this case.
Two victim impact statements were read, one from one of the victims, who stated that through her time trying to find justice, she has met many more of Burris’ victims, including friends, family members and even strangers.
“It is my opinion that this is not a sorry man. This is a man that has spent a lifetime perfecting how to hurt people and get away with it. And he has, many times. This is not a man who wants help. He has had a lifetime to seek help,” said the victim. “He has had sex offender treatment before. Instead of seeking treatment or help, or coming forward and being honest about things, he has continued to victimize kids and adults throughout the years.”
Another impact statement came from a family member of the victims, who says Burris threatened to kill the victims and their families if they ever disclosed the abuse they had experienced.
“This is something Jay has done his whole life. He has had opportunities to turn from this and become a better person, but instead, he has taken the opportunities that he’s gotten to become a better pedophile,” said the victim’s relative. “Jay has threatened (the victims) by saying he would kill them or us.”
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Burris addressed the court before Whyte pronounced the sentence, acknowledging the hurt he caused.
“I have hurt (the victims), and I am aware of that,” said Burris. “There is nothing I can say to make this right. There is nothing. I hurt (the victims), and they’re right for what they say.”
Background
In August 2022, a 12-year-old victim told police Burris exposed himself to her and sexually abused her between September 2019 and September 2020.
A 10-year-old victim explained similar experiences. Both victims said this happened at Burris’ apartment in Idaho Falls.
An officer met with Burris in Casper, Wyoming, to interview him. Burris initially denied wrongdoing and said he had done nothing inappropriate with either of the girls.
Following the interview, he “exhibited very abnormal and what would be considered guilt-driven behavior,” documents said.
Investigators learn that Burris called the children and apologized for his past actions, then went missing from Casper on Nov. 10.
On Dec. 1, after being found by relatives of the victims and stopped by police, Burris said he “was going to tell (the officer) things that were going to get him put in prison forever,” documents said.
Burris initially told the officer that he had never exposed himself to the two children. He also maintained that he never had any sexual contact.
However, later in the interview, Burris began describing what he had done with one of the victims. He admitted he “played with her for his own self-pleasure.” Burris said this happened with one of the victims right before he left Idaho Falls in 2020 around her 8th or 9th birthday.
Afterward, he was transported to and booked into the Bonneville County Jail.