Volunteer firefighter arrested for child sex abuse charges (updated)

Published 3:35 pm Thursday, March 13, 2014

A Chilton County resident was arrested Feb. 27 for sexual abuse charges against a minor.

Clint Burnett, 22, was arrested on charges of three counts of sodomy (Class A felonies) and one count of sexual abuse of a child less than 12 (Class B felony).

Chief Deputy District Attorney for the 19th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office C.J. Robinson confirmed it was the same male victim on all counts.

Burnett was a volunteer firefighter at Fairview Volunteer Fire Department, and Robinson said some of the crimes occurred at the fire department.

Chilton County Sheriff Kevin Davis said the incidents took place in 2011 and that Burnett had been released from jail after his arrest in February.

According to Davis, authorities became involved in the case through a family member of the victim making a report to the Chilton County Department of Human Resources (DHR).

Davis said after the report was made, the Chilton County Sheriff’s Department started the investigation.

Although Davis did not know the exact age of the victim, he did confirm it was “not a small child.”

Fairview Volunteer Fire Chief Joe Cole said on Thursday that representatives at the fire department were not aware some of the occurrences were taking place at the fire department.

Cole said Burnett has been placed on a leave of absence pending the outcome of his judicial case.

Burnett will appear in front of Chilton County Judge Rhonda Hardesty for a preliminary hearing scheduled April 1 at 9 a.m.

The attorney representing Burnett was not immediately available for comment.