Headline of the Week Weak

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"Sheriff charged with using inmates as sex slaves"

And he faces 467 years in prison if convicted! CLICK HERE to read the article accompanying this headline.

Sheriff charged with using inmates as sex slaves

Oklahoma sheriff could be sentenced to 467 years in prison if convicted

Authorities have charged a western Oklahoma sheriff with coercing and bribing female inmates so he could use them in a sex-slave operation run out of his jail.

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.

Attorney Steve Huddleston said that he has not had a chance to review all the allegations against his client, but that "Mr. Burgess is anxious to go to court and clear his name."

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.

Lawsuit alleges favors for sex
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.

    Posted: Apr 19, 2008 at 11:00 am / Email this  »

    311 comments to “Headline of the Week Weak”

    More comments: « 1 2 3 [4]

    1. Autumn says – reply to this


      301

      Law & Order SVU, was just like this last week…makes you wonder!Conspiracy!

    2. Melissa says – reply to this


      302

      I live in Custer county, and I hope Burgess fries!

    3. Melissa says – reply to this


      303

      Re: Who Can Possibly Be Surprised?
      Undersheriff Tidwell is a good man.

    4. v says – reply to this


      304

      i'm sure he is a bible thumping, jesus is the only way saying, hate-filled christian.

    5. janae says – reply to this


      305

      There is so much more to the story!!!! He is a white man, who was only raping women, not men for all you fuckin pervs and he wasnt racist he did them all! Perez, needs to get some more local facts, hell, watch the nightly news. What you gave people on that story wasnt even the half of it! Signing off from the hometown in Oklahoma!

    6. x says – reply to this


      306

      they'll put him in jail and then the inmates there will make him their bitch

    7. utterly discusted says – reply to this


      307

      sick fuck.

    8. jenny says – reply to this


      308

      i live in custer county and he is so fucked up!!!!

    9. mel says – reply to this


      309

      Wut an asshole i hope he gets raped in prison
      he deserves it!!!!!!!

    10. Sara says – reply to this


      310

      I grew up in Custer County. This doesn't suprise me in the least. Stuff like this is always happening out there. At least this perv got caught.

    11. Sara says – reply to this


      311

      #15 - kerry says – reply to this

      Great, more reasons to hate Oklahoma. Thanks Perez.

      Kerry, that's just fucked up! What reasons do you have to hate Oklahoma other than the fact that you're ignorant to anything outside of your little bubble.

    More comments: « 1 2 3 [4]