Wyoming man charged for allegedly sexually abusing child in Idaho Falls
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IDAHO FALLS — A 52-year-old Wyoming man has been charged after allegedly sexually abusing a young girl in Idaho Falls.
Jay Burris is charged with felony child sexual abuse by causing or having sexual contact with a minor under 16 for an incident that is believed to have happened anywhere between Sept. 2019 and Sept. 2020. The case was filed on Friday.
According to the affidavit of probable cause from the Idaho Falls Police Department, the 12-year-old victim told police Burris exposed himself and did other sexual acts to her as she slept.
A 10-year-old victim explained a similar situation. Both victims said this happened at his apartment in Idaho Falls.
The officer met with Burris in Casper, Wyoming, to interview him. Burris initially denied any wrongdoing and said he had done nothing inappropriate with either of the girls.
Following the interview, he “exhibited very abnormal and what would be considered guilt-driven behavior,” documents said.
Burris said he considered self-harm, called the children and apologized for his past actions, then went missing from Casper on Nov. 10.
On Dec. 1, he told an officer that he “was going to tell me things that were going to get him put in prison forever,” documents said.
Burris told the officer that he had never exposed himself to the two children. He also maintained that he never had any sexual contact.
However, later in the interview, Burris began describing what he had done with one of the victims. He admitted he “played with her for his own self-pleasure.”
Burris said this all happened with one of the victims right before he left Idaho Falls in 2020 around her 8th or 9th birthday. Burris was then arrested and taken to the Bonneville County Jail.
The felony charge is punishable by up to 25 years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine and restitution. He was issued a no-contact order with the victim and bond was set at $250,000 on Friday.
Burris is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Dec. 16 at 1 p.m. at the Bonneville County Courthouse.