A long-time businessman in Stockton, California, Lyle Burgess, pleaded no contest to a charge of statutory rape of a 5-year-old. His punishment: 90 days of house arrest and five years of information probation, KTXL-TV reported.
About The Sentence
To make matters even worse, the 79-year-old does not have to register as a sex offender.
“A 5-6-year-old little girl was molested. Normally the sentence is state prison and then when you’re released, you have to register as a sex offender,” family attorney Ken Meleyco said. “He’s obviously very wealthy and it’s just an example of how the wealthy people, time and time again, escape the penalty for what they did.”
“It is just appalling that somebody commits an offense like this and you have protections like 290 (failure to register as a sex offender) and Jessica’s Law and someone has the propensity to harm children and now nobody is warned,” Davenport told The Stockton Record.
According to Burgess’ attorney, Gregory Davenport, the family is doing this with an agenda in mind.
“I believe the allegations are motivated by greed,” Davenport told The Stockton Record. “They are using this instance to try to gain financially.”
About The Assault
The rape in question allegedly took place in 2016 when Burgess — a trusted family friend and someone who knew the dad for more than two decades — invited the family to his cabin in Calaveras County, The Sacramento Bee reported.
“They trusted this man, he was a family friend, and he took advantage of them,” Meleyco told KMOV-TV.
Meleyco says the now 7-year-old is not doing very well. “She’s showing all the symptoms of somebody who’s been molested. She’s in counseling, and she’s gonna be in counseling all her life.”
The Stockton Record details the parents’ testimony:
“I’m incredibly disgusted by his behavior and continuously disgusted by his lies,” she said before describing his sentence as “getting off so easy” and not registering as a sex offender.
“I want other kids to be protected by possible future abuse by this man,” she said.
The victim’s father, who has known Burgess for more than two decades, said: “I don’t have too many prized possessions in this world other than my family. (My daughter) will remember this the rest of her life. She sleeps on the floor outside our room.”
San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Ron Northup told the parents that their testimony makes an impact but, because the please was negotiated, “courts are somewhat limited” in how they sentence a case.
The Calls For Investigation
Now, a petition has surfaced, urging investigators to look into why Burgess’ sentence was “so lenient.”
Lyle Burgess, a wealthy man who lives in Stockton, sexaully [sic] assaulted a five year old girl. He was sentenced by San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Ron Northup to either 90 days in an alternative-work program or in-home detention plus five years of informal probation! He doesn’t even have to register as a sex offender! House arrest and probation?! How does this happen?
This child deserves justice! She deserves to know that people care enough to make sure this man can never hurt her or any other child again! She will have to deal with this for the rest of her life, and her abuser is basically getting a slap on the wrist.
Please sign and share this petition! Put pressure on the people who can investigate why his sentence is so lenient. Maybe there is a way he can be re-sentenced. Thank you!
The petition currently has 148 signatures at the time of publishing.
Liberals are like Nazi Scum. They allow illegals to have sanctuary cities but want you in jail for a straw.
A group of California legislators wants to punish waiters who offer “unsolicited” plastic straws to customers with a six-month jail sentence and a $1,000 fine.
Democratic California Assembly Majority Floor Leader Ian Calderon has introduced a bill that could put waiters in jail for offering their patrons a plastic straw without them asking for one.
“This bill would prohibit a food facility, as specified, where food may be consumed on the premises from providing single-use plastic straws to consumers unless requested by the consumer,” the bill reads. “By creating a new crime and imposing additional enforcement duties on local health agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.”
Yes this looks real dangerous.
“Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, a person who violates any provision of the code to be guilty of a misdemeanor with each offense punishable by a fine of not less than $25 or more than $1,000, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding 6 months, or by both,” it states.
Calderon estimated that Americans use 500 million plastic straws per day. A report on the bill from Reason revealed that the estimate came from a 2011 survey conducted by then 9-year-old Milo Cress. Cress calculated the number by calling straw manufacturers.
In a press release, Calderon explained that the bill is motivated by a push to create greater awareness about the effects of plastic straws on the environment.
This Sissy Drank From A Straw.
“We need to create awareness around the issue of one-time use plastic straws and its detrimental effects on our landfills, waterways, and oceans,” Calderon said in the release. “AB 1884 is not ban on plastic straws. It is a small step towards curbing our reliance on these convenience products, which will hopefully contribute to a change in consumer attitudes and usage.”
After intense scrutiny, Calderon issued a series of tweets that contradict with the text of his bill. Calderon claims now that the bill would not make serving plastic straws a crime. “I’d like to clarify that #AB1884 (Straws Upon Request) is (a) NOT a ban; (b) should it become law, it will NOT make it a crime for servers to provide plastic straws,” he wrote. “My intention is simply to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of plastic straws on our environment.”
I’d like to clarify that #AB1884 (Straws Upon Request) is (a) NOT a ban; (b) should it become law, it will NOT make it a crime for servers to provide plastic straws. My intention is simply to raise awareness about the detrimental effects of plastic straws on our environment.
This conflicts with the text of your bill. “By creating a new crime…” Why do you need a bill to raise awareness? Go make a TV spot, create a website, get Buzzfeed to do a write-up. Legislation is a last resort. https://twitter.com/IanCalderon/status/956691670522724352 …
