A man from Louisiana with a past conviction for child sexual abuse has been found guilty of molesting his girlfriend’s young daughter. Lawrence Burt, 48, was convicted of indecent behavior with a juvenile on March 28. He could face a prison sentence of 2 to 25 years, according to a statement from the local District Attorney’s Office.
The authorities were called to a home in Pearl River in March 2022 following a report of sexual abuse. They spoke to a woman who alleged that her 8-year-old daughter had been inappropriately touched by Burt. During a forensic interview, the child revealed that Burt would sneakingly enter her bedroom at night and would scold her if she tried to lock her door. She expressed fear about telling her mother because she thought Burt might harm her or her family.
Eventually, an arrest warrant was issued for Burt, who was later found at an apartment complex with the help of the U.S. Marshals Service. Initially, he denied the accusations but admitted to evading the police after learning of the warrant.
Burt has a concerning history, including a conviction for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl when he was 31. He also has multiple convictions for failing to register as a sex offender and a theft conviction.
Sentencing for his latest conviction is scheduled for May. The District Attorney’s Office in Louisiana and the local Sheriff’s Office have not commented on the case since the verdict.
