FORT WORTH -- A former Arlington man who repeatedly sexually abused two pre-teen sisters and played sex games with one of them has been sentenced to 99 years in prison without parole.
Charles Samuel Burgess II, 65, most recently of Norman, Okla., abused the girls -- who were relatives -- when they took "birthday trips" to his house in Arlington, according to a news release from the Tarrant County district attorney's office.The younger sister testified that Burgess played a strip version of the game Connect Four when she visited his home in August 2010 while celebrating her 10th birthday. The older girl told jurors she was sexually abused by Burgess -- and received her first kiss from him -- while visiting in 2010 and 2011 to celebrate her 11th and 12th birthdays.Jurors in state District Judge George Gallagher's court convicted Burgess last week of one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child and one count of indecency. The jury sentenced him to the maximum of 99 years without parole for continuous abuse and 20 years for indecency."When you steal a 12-year-old relative's first kiss and play 'Strip Connect Four' with her 11-year-old sister, you have pretty much punched your ticket," prosecutor Bill Vassar said in the news release. He tried the case with Heather Davenport.Burgess was convicted under a statute known as Jessica's Law, which was named for a Florida girl who was kidnapped, raped and killed by a registered sex offender. The law provides that a person convicted for continuous sexual abuse of a child is not eligible for parole.Burgess' attorney, Kobby T. Warren, said his client insisted that he was not guilty. "He's always maintained his innocence," Warren said. "He was extremely surprised, shocked, even disappointed." Burgess has appealed the conviction.Dianna Hunt, 817-390-7084Twitter: @DiannaHuntHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
