James Jay Burton This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. The Mercury

   www.pottsmerc.com/site/news.cf - [Cached]

   Published on: 11/2/2002   Last Visited: 11/2/2002

   NORRISTOWN -- James D. "Jay" Burton, a former Pottstown auxiliary police officer and onetime chief of the North End Fire Co., will spend some time behind prison bars for possessing child pornography on computer disks at the Prospect Street firehouse.
   
   Montgomery County Judge Kent H. Albright sentenced Burton, 48, of North York Street, to 10 days to 23 months in the county jail and one year of probation.
   ...
   Assistant District Attorney Richard DeSipio sought at least several months in jail for Burton while defense lawyer Robert C. Keller sought probation.
   ...
   Burton had faced the possibility of a maximum of 3½ to 7 years in prison, but state sentencing guidelines also would have allowed for a minimum sentence of probation.
   
   Burton, who was accompanied to court by his wife, Faith, was ordered to report to jail at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, to begin serving his sentence, the minimum of which will be served during five consecutive weekends.
   ...
   While on probation Burton will be supervised by the county's Sex Offender Supervision Program.
   
   Burton, who pleaded guilty to a felony charge of sexual abuse of children, possessing child pornography, will be required to report his whereabouts to state police for 10 years under Pennsylvania's version of Megan's Law.
   
   Burton would not comment after the hearing. But in court he apologized for possessing the computer disks that prosecutors called "repulsive."
   
   "I'm guilty of having them in my possession," Burton told the judge, also admitting he viewed the disks.
   
   But Burton claimed someone else gave the disks to him. Burton didn't reveal the alleged person's identity.
   
   "I ruined my own life by keeping those disks and not turning them over to authorities," Burton testified. "I lost my dignity. I embarrassed myself. I gave the fire company a big black eye they didn't need. I know what I did was wrong. I knew better."
   
   ...
   During the hearing, DeSipio argued Burton violated the public trust.
   ...
   By pleading guilty to the charge of sexual abuse of children, Burton admitted he knowingly possessed or controlled any computer depiction or other material depicting a child under 18 engaging in a prohibited sexual act or in the simulation of such an act.
   
   ...
   But Keller argued Burton is a good man.
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   According to Keller, Burton served in the U.S. Air Force between 1980 and 1986.
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   Burton was a prison correctional officer from 1986-92 and an auxiliary police officer in Pottstown between 1976 and 1978, Keller said.
   ...
   Testimony revealed Burton, the father of three children and grandfather to 10, has no prior criminal record. There is no evidence Burton sent the photographs to others. Furthermore, there is no evidence Burton acted out sexually against children. "There is no indication of his being involved in any pedophilia.
   ...
   Burton was arrested in November 2000 after authorities allegedly found computer disks, containing more than 100 sexually explicit images, in a cabinet at the firehouse.
   
   According to county detectives, Burton had been under investigation since August 2000, when his wife, Faith, reported his alleged activities to Pottstown detectives.