Wilkie Bill Burtrum, Child Sex Abuse, Oklahoma 2020

A Quapaw man has been convicted of child sex abuse in Indian Country.

Wilkie Bill Burtrum, 60, was found guilty Monday of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor under 12 in Indian Country and with abusive sexual contact with a child under 12 in Indian Country.

The crimes took place between August 2018 and October 2019. Prosecutors said Burtrum paid extra attention to the victim and offered him special privileges to gain the child's trust. He then purposefully touched the victim sexually, both over his pants and under his clothing.

The child eventually confided in a relative, then his father, who immediately reported the crimes to authorities.

During the trial, prosecutors introduced evidence of a 1993 sexual abuse conviction, establishing a pattern of behavior by Burtrum. In that case, he served 14 years in prison for four counts of aggravated sexual abuse in Indian Country with children under 12.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shannon Cozzoni and Scott Proctor are prosecuting the case. U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell presided over the trial and set sentencing for June 25, 2020.

U.S. Attorney Trent Shores commended the young victim for his courage to come forward and report the crimes. Shores also stated that Burtrum was a 'very real danger to children' and that his office would be asking for a life sentence.

The Quapaw Tribal Marshals Service and Miami Police Department conducted the investigation.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndok/pr/quapaw-man-convicted-sexually-abusing-child-under-12