LANE COUNTY MAN CONVICTED OF SEXUALLY ABUSING TEENAGERS
Following a two-week trial, a Lane County jury has convicted Brandon Edward Burge, 23, of sexually abusing more than a dozen teenage girls.The jury found Burge guilty of 12 counts of second-degree sexual abuse, along with 15 additional charges including attempted rape, online sexual corruption of a child, and assault.
The verdict reflected a detailed investigation where Burge was indicted on charges involving illegal sexual contact with 13 underage girls.Police arrested Burge in November after a dangerous chase through the Gateway area, during which he backed his vehicle into a police cruiser and hit other cars stopped at a McDonald's drive-through before crashing his vehicle.
Before the trial, Burge pleaded guilty to 10 charges, including hit-and-run driving and reckless endangering, related to the incident.Despite being found not guilty of the most serious charges of first-degree sexual abuse and unlawful use of a weapon, the conviction on multiple counts of sexual abuse marks a significant outcome in the case.
Investigations revealed that Burge specifically targeted young girls for sex.He is scheduled for sentencing in Lane County Circuit Court on Friday.
