NEW HANOVER COUNTY — A comic-book store owner faces up to two decades in prison after being sentenced Monday.
Robert Adam Burns pleaded guilty to four counts of statutory sex offenses with a 13-, 14- or 15-year-old and four counts of indecent liberties with a child. The crimes took place in the early 2000s against one victim.
According to a release from the office of Attorney General Joshua Stein — whose prosecutors handled the case — in 2000, Burns met the then 10-year-old victim at his comic-book store. He gave her surfing lessons at Wrightsville Beach for many years, grooming her ahead of sexually assaulting the victim when she was 14.
The victim came forward in early 2020 to disclose the abuse. She also testified in the case and read an impact statement in court Monday:
“Young women deserve the chance to be confident, silly, and flattering without it being seen as a proposition,” she read. “They deserve the chance to make their own mistakes without your help. To feel confident in their bodies, even as they begin to change later in life. And they deserve adults who will help them heal from their trauma instead of compounding upon it.”
Attorney General Josh Stein also released a statement:
“No matter how long ago a crime occurred, we have to do everything in our power to get justice for victims and get criminals off our streets. I thank the survivor in this case for testifying about her abuse as a child and sending a clear message to other victims: what happened to you wasn’t your fault and you can speak out. I also want to thank the prosecutors in my office who tried this case and are making our state safer.”
The AG’s release notes New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office investigated the Bruns matter in connection to a separate investigation into Peter Frank, the former Roland-Grise Middle School band teacher found guilty of committing sex crimes against students. The North Carolina Department of Justice prosecuted Frank in a separate case and convicted him in trial of 17 counts of sex crimes and indecent liberties, resulting in a minimum 50-year prison sentence.
READ MORE: Why does Peter Frank face almost 3 times more prison time than Michael Kelly? Attorney explains
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