Fla. fire chief admits to molesting teen

By Millard K. Ives
The Daily Commercial

SUMTER COUNTY, Fla. — A deputy fire chief for Sumter County Fire Rescue was fired Wednesday, a day after being jailed on four counts of lewd and lascivious child molestation.

Cecil "Brad" Burris, 54, who has been with the department since 2003 and also serves as a fire marshall, admitted to molesting and touching the unidentified 16-year-old girl, according to an arrest affidavit.

He remained in the Sumter County jail Wednesday in lieu of $75,000 bail.

Leland Greek, fire department chief, said he considered Burris "very competent" as a fire marshal, but, after talking with him after the arrest, he decided to let Burris go.

"We found him no longer able to hold a position of public trust," Greek said from his Wildwood headquarters.

The Sumter County Sheriff's Office apparently started its investigation after the Department of Children and Families received a complaint against Burris.

The arrest affidavit added the sheriff's office responded to South Sumter High in Bushnell, where the girl told detectives of the inappropriate touching over a four-year period.

Burris later admitted touching the girl's breast, genital area and buttocks, the arrest affidavit said.

"The defendant stated something to the effect 'My life is over and I'm going to jail," Det. John Adams said.

Copyright 2012 The Daily Commercial (Leesburg, FL)

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