A former Army soldier has been sentenced to two concurrent life terms for sexually abusing two children at Fort Stewart Military Reservation in Georgia. Austin Michael Burak, 32, of Oak Harbor, Washington, was convicted of abusive sexual contact of a child and aggravated sexual abuse of a child after a jury trial in the Southern District of Georgia.
U.S. District Court Chief Judge R. Stan Baker handed down the sentence on September 4, 2025. U.S. Attorney Meg E. Heap stated, “There are appropriately severe consequences for sexually assaulting children. We will continue to aggressively prosecute those who prey on the most innocent among us. The community is safer now that a sexual predator will spend the rest of his life imprisoned.”
Courtroom testimony revealed that in August 2017, Burak abused and raped two minor boys while they slept in their beds. Three additional witnesses testified during the trial that Burak had also sexually assaulted them as minors; one described years of abuse.
Paul Brown, Special Agent in Charge of FBI Atlanta, said, “The FBI is unwavering in its commitment to protect our most vulnerable—our children. This sentence ensures that Austin Burak will never again have the opportunity to harm another child, and it demonstrates the dedication of our agents and law enforcement partners who work tirelessly to bring justice to survivors of these heinous crimes.”
Special Agent in Charge Michele Starostka from the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Western Field Office commented on the outcome: “The sentencing of Austin Burak represents a significant outcome in the pursuit of justice for the victims in this horrific case. Army CID worked diligently alongside our partners at the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in this case, and we remain steadfast in our dedication to protecting our communities.”
The investigation was conducted by Army Criminal Investigation Division at Joint Base Lewis-McChord and by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorneys Sherri A. Stephan and Michael Z. Spitulnik prosecuted the case.
