Child sex offender faces charge for working with kids

A registered sex offender accused of working with elementary school children and maintaining a Facebook account under a false name was bound over for arraignment last week in Douglas County Circuit Court.

Michael Ira Burns, 31, of Superior faces four felony charges — being a child sex offender working with children, a sex offender identify self incorrectly, sex offender-failure to update information and false swearing — and one misdemeanor count of obstructing an officer.

Burns pleaded no contest to second degree sexual assault of a child in Washburn in 1998, according to online court records. An additional count of first degree sexual assault of a child was dismissed but read in for sentencing. Burns was sentenced to five years probation and six months in jail. A 10-year prison sentence was imposed and stayed. According to the Wisconsin Department of Corrections Sex Offender Registry, Burns must remain on the sex offender registry for life.

According to the criminal complaint:

Burns volunteered at a fall event for elementary school children in Superior. He helped collect prizes, decorate, feed the children and run the activities. In addition, he admitted to Officer Jon McKinnon with the Superior Police Department that he had internet use — including email, World of Warcraft and XBOX live — and had used online chat rooms. A Facebook profile for Burns, under the name Mike Burl, was also found. But in September on his sex offender registration form, Burns checked “No” when asked if he had any internet use.

Burns also admitted to McKinnon that two children in his care are not his. Burns said he signed the birth certificates of the children even though he wasn’t the father and that he “blatantly lied” in court in 2010 when he testified that he was the biological father of the children in order to get custody.

Cash bail of $1,000 was set in the case, with the condition that Burns have no contact with minors, the two children he had custody of and he maintain compliance with the sex offender registry.

Burns remains in custody at the Douglas County Jail. A status conference is scheduled for February.

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