Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Molestation trial date set for April 9
Kenneth Earl Burda appears in superior court for a status conference hearing on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
ALMIRA - A local man was evaluated and found fit to stand trial against several charges involving child molestation and rape.
Kenneth E. Burda, 72, is charged with first-degree child molestation, fourth-degree child molestation and two counts of first-degree rape of a child.
Records show that a status conference was continued at 10:30 a.m. on Dec. 17. Burda was evaluated for competency and found fit to stand trial.
The order was signed confirming his competency in court, followed by a discussion to set his trial date for April 9, 2025, and a readiness hearing for March 18, 2025.
The prosecution asked for bail to be set at $50,000 and a no-contact order placed between Burda and the victims in superior court on Tuesday, Dec. 17.
Arrested Nov. 18, Burda is held in the Lincoln County Jail and his bail was initially set at $150,000.
Burda is accused of inappropriately touching two of his granddaughters at his 6 S. Fifth St. house.
The case came to light September 9 when a mother of a 3-year-old girl contacted authorities to report the toddler had been inappropriately touched and licked by her grandfather, records show, noting the grandfather also had the girl watch pornography with him.
A Sept. 20 interview with the toddler prompted authorities to investigate further, records show. And a second granddaughter, now 14, came forward to report that Burda had sexually touched her, too, when she was 6-8 years old.
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