Source: Office of United States Attorneys
ST. LOUIS – A couple from Franklin County, Missouri have admitted producing pictures and videos containing child sexual abuse material, including the sexual abuse of a one-year-old.
William Burns, 41, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Louis to one count of conspiracy to produce child pornography, three counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. His wife, 34-year-old Rachel Burns, pleaded guilty on May 22 to the conspiracy count and two counts of production of child pornography.
On July 30, 2023, William and Rachel Burns were arrested by the University City Police Department with two small children in their car. They were charged in St. Louis County Circuit Court with attempted enticement of a child. Rachel Burns told investigators that her husband had child sexual abuse material on multiple electronic devices, leading to a court-approved search by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies found electronic devices, as well as whips, numerous sexual devices and a 3-foot-7-inch tall silicone sex doll made to resemble a prepubescent female, their plea agreements say.
Investigators found 13,954 image and video files depicting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on a computer and digital storage devices. William Burns used a WhatsApp social media account to exchange CSAM with other WhatsApp users. Investigators then found a 2022 video showing the couple sexually abusing a one-year-old. They also found other videos and images from 2022 and 2023 showing that victim, the couple admitted in their plea agreements.
Rachel Burns is scheduled to be sentenced on August 25. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend no more than 35 years in prison. William Burns is scheduled to be sentenced on September 3. The U.S. Attorney’s office has agreed to recommend between 35 and 40 years for him.
The University City Police Department, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and the St. Louis County Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Hayes is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.