Prison Sex-Slave Operation Alleged
Oklahoma Law Man Faces 467 Years In Prison, Charged With Rape, Sodomy And Bribery
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(CBS/AP)
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Interactive Sexual Assault Facts and statistics on sexual assault and rape, with victim resources.
Custer County Sheriff Mike Burgess resigned Wednesday just as state prosecutors filed 35 felony charges against him, including 14 counts of second-degree rape, seven counts of forcible oral sodomy and five counts of bribery by a public official.
Burgess, the top officer in the county of 26,000 since 1994, appeared in court Wednesday was released after posting $50,000 bail.
"We are stunned," Undersheriff Kenneth Tidwell said Thursday.
Phone messages left Thursday afternoon at Burgess' home and with his attorney, Steve Huddleston, were not immediately returned.
Among other things, Burgess is accused of having sex with a female drug court participant who was in his custody. The crimes are to have occurred between October 2005 and April 2007.
A federal lawsuit filed in October claims Burgess told one drug court participant he would have her sent to prison if she didn't comply with his sexual demands.
The lawsuit, filed by 12 former inmates, alleges the sheriff's employees had them engage in wet T-shirt contests and offered cigarettes to those who would flash their breasts.
One prisoner alleged she became a jail trusty with more freedom after agreeing to perform a sex act on Burgess, but lost that status when she later refused.
Burgess also faces two counts each of sexual battery, rape by instrumentation and subornation of perjury, and one count each of engaging in a pattern of criminal offenses, indecent exposure and kidnapping.
He could be sentenced to 467 years in prison if convicted on all counts, special prosecutor James Boring said, though a lesser sentence would be more likely.
No one else from the sheriff's department appears to be implicated, Tidwell said.
"The circumstances are certainly regretful," he said.
© MMVIII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."





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See all 66 CommentsWe had a case in Missouri several years back. Aguy killed a 12 year old girl and two year old boy. Whe he got to jail the prisoners caught off his sack with a jagged can lid and flushed them down the toilet so they couldn''t sew them back on. Whoops the guards forgot to put him in isolation away from the other prisoners, *** happens. He got life without parole and is daily someone and everyone''s ***.
I happen to think being called a redneck is something to be proud of. It means having integrity and principles. Now go look those two big words up in the dictionary so you will know what i am talking about.
It is people like you who slander this country and don''t have the balls to defend it. You will continue to hide behind your keyboard and spew your worthless nonsense that you think are facts.
I think you need to take your mobility scooter and go to the bathroom, redneck!
Haven''t heard any more from you and yes i like women, but not the ones i am related to nor do i like to molest children as someone like you likes to do.
I was going by the stories i have heard about him in the past. I like a lawman who doesn''t coddl prisoners. However i do not live in Arizona so i cannot commen on what he is really like as you can.
Posted by Glock4me at 10:35 PM : Apr 17, 2008
No you should be enraged that there are loopholes that gun dealers/sellers use to sell to individuals that should not legally own a gun, including mentally ill, domestic abusers and violent felons, through gun shows and private sales. You should be enraged at the incomplete Federal Data Base for checking gun purchasers. The only reason bush''s income wasn''t in the millions is he is required by law as a government official who could influence prices/law to place any income in a trust that cannot be touched or the activities known to the eventual beneficiary. Once again, your ignorance is immense.
Since logic always fails to work on you lets do this personally. Let me know where you are hiding and we will see if you can shut me up once we are face to face. I know you will do nothing as all you do is run your mouth. You don''t have the guts to fight for your country or stand up for it. Inbred idiots like you could not hold a lite to the little toe of one of these women. In fact you would be afraid to faxce then as they would kick your butt from here to China. So if you have what it takes bring it on you snot nosed little weasel.
Your disparaging of women poluice officers is uncalled for. Many women serve as police officers and do a fine job. Your analiigy of being sent back to the kitchen does not do these ladies any justice. Your attitude belongs back up in the hillls with your inbred family.
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Posted by ranger1948 at 06:31 AM
Shut up ranger rick. You know you like your women barefoot and pregnant. Don''t act like your above that krap, and don''t act like you didn''t understand the message, you freek.
OH don''t apologize Ranger Ricky, because you just showed your true colors. You decided to distinguish between liberals and cops. So don''t tell me about a backwater, inbred mentality, because Rick, that''s you. And you were never a cop, ever. I still work with the police Ricky, and I know which ones are okay and which ones are wicked.
The only thing that comes from Oklahoma are steers and queeers! I don''t see any horns on Senators Coburn and Inhofe; so they MUST be queers!
Or is this part of the Republi-con''s free market approach to reviving our economy?
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