Paul Douglas Burdick pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor counts of third-degree sex abuse. On February 20, 2020, Judge Andrew Erwin sentenced the defendant to six months in the Washington County Jail along with five years of formal probation with sex offender treatment. Senior Deputy District Attorney Andy Pulver prosecuted the case against Burdick.
The defendant was employed as a driving instructor through Portland Community College. In 2016, two teenage girls reported to their parents that the defendant touched them inappropriately during driver’s education classes. The Washington County Sheriff’s Office investigated the allegations but the evidence available in 2016 was not sufficient to proceed with criminal charges at that time.
In September of 2019, another driving student came forward with similar allegations of misconduct committed by the defendant during driving lessons. Detectives with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office began investigating once again and obtained a warrant giving them access to a list of the defendant’s prior students. Investigators then contacted the students to inquire if they had anything concerning to report. More than a dozen students responded, all with similar allegations of inappropriate contact.
These new allegations allowed this office to move forward with formal charges against the defendant, ultimately leading to his conviction on the above charges.
The Washington County District Attorney’s Office would like to acknowledge the victims for coming forward. This office also commends the Washington County Sheriff’s Office for its work on this case.
Source: Washington County District Attorney