LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. — An Elizabethtown man accused of sexually assaulting at least 11 women will spend up to 22 years behind bars, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office.
Justin Burke, 27, sexually assaulted his most recent victims in 2019 while he was already on probation for groping two women at a party in 2017, the Lancaster County District Attorney's Office said. Assistant District Attorney Fritz Haverstick, who represented the Commonwealth during the sentencing proceeding, says Burke has a lengthy record of sex crimes going back to when he was a juvenile.
“He’s a repeat sex offender and a danger to the community,” Haverstick said. “It’s astonishing that he’s on his 11th victim of sexual assault. The goal is to get people help. He had every opportunity to rehabilitate himself and he’s shown he cannot do so.”
At Burke's previous trial in November 2020, he was originally sentenced to 10 to 20 years in prison after a jury convicted him on charges of rape, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, two counts of sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, indecent assault and two counts of aggravated indecent assault.
A jury again convicted Burke during a retrial in October 2023. The DA's Office did not specify the reason for the retrial. At his most recent trial, Burke was convicted of involuntary deviant sexual intercourse, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of indecent assault.
“The victim's strength showed there will finally be accountability,” Lancaster County Judge Jeffery Wright said to Burke regarding the victim testifying a second time during the retrial.
Burke was sentenced to 11 to 22 years in prison and three years of probation following his prison sentence.
A licensed clinical psychologist also testified before the sentencing hearing that he found Burke to be a sexually violent predator, which means Burke must register as a sex offender and adhere to notification requirements to neighbors.
