Spring City man arrested for sexually assaulting children – The Mercury

WEST CHESTER — Anthony Burns, 37, of Spring City, has been arrested for having unlawful sexual contact with minors under the age of 16, according to the Chester County District Attorney’s Office and the Chester County Detectives.

Burns has been charged with statutory sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, unlawful contact with minors, and other related charges.

Burns used his status as an employee of the Burger King in East Pikeland Township to find and groom his young victims who were both co-workers at the restaurant, authorities said.

Magisterial District Judge John Hipple arraigned Burns on July 29, and set a cash bail of $150,000. Burns waived his preliminary hearing.

Chester County District Attorney Christopher L. de Barrena-Sarobe said, “This defendant had sex with one child and groomed another. Our teenagers should be able to participate in work-related activities without the fear of being subject to this kind of despicable behavior. If you have any information about this investigation, please contact the Chester County Detectives at 610-344-6866 immediately.”

The criminal complaint filed by the Chester County Detectives details how Burns allegedly sexually assaulted the two teens. Victim #1 was assaulted between December of 2023 and February 2024. On two occasions, Burns snuck over to Victim #1’s residence, climbed through her bedroom window, and engaged in sexual intercourse with her, court papers state.

Victim #2 was victimized differently. Burns sent the victim sexually explicit text messages for over a month, including a sexual photo of himself. Burns also groped Victim #2 on the outside of her clothing while she was exiting a booth at the Burger King in East Pikeland.

The Chester County Detectives are the lead investigating agency. Assistant District Attorney Madeline Good is the assigned prosecutor.

If you have concerns about the safety of a child, you should call 911 or Childline at 1-800-932-0313. Childline reports can be anonymous.

If you have information about the Burns’ case, contact the Chester County Detectives at 610-344-6866.

Originally Published: August 9, 2024 at 10:17 am