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(MURFREESBORO) A Murfreesboro man will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole for aggravated rape of a child. He’s the first person in Rutherford County to face the tougher penalty under an amended Tennessee State law.
A Rutherford County jury only took 15-minutes to return a guilty verdict after the three-day trail of 26-year-old Brian Jeffrey Burke, Jr.
Rutherford County Circuit Court Judge James A. Turner sentenced Burke, Jr. to a mandatory life in prison on Wed., Dec. 13. He won’t be eligible for parole.
“Today marks a historic day in Rutherford County Tennessee,” said MPD Detective Michael Yates. “The jurors in this case moved swiftly in deciding a verdict for such a heinous crime. I greatly appreciate everyone who assisted me in working this case. I also want to thank the Prosecutors for their outstanding job in this trial and for their continual pursuit of justice for the children of Rutherford County.”
Burke, Jr. was arrested and charged with the Aug. 2021 sexual assault of a then five-year-old boy. Burke has been in jail ever since.
After the trial, Burke, Jr. was taken back to the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center. He will eventually be transferred to the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction (TDOC).
