School Choir Director Ordered to Serve Prison Time
LAFAYETTE IN: A judge on Friday sentenced 31-year old Ja’Shon Burks to five years in prison for abusing multiple girls in the choir program at Lafayette Jefferson High School. In addition to serving prison time, Burks was placed on probation for two years and ordered to pay several thousand dollars in restitution, fines and court costs. The sentence was rendered during a hearing on December 13th, when several of Burks’ victims and their families gave emotional testimony about how Burks’ abuse had impacted them.
Burks had only been employed as a teacher and choir director at Jefferson High School for a few years before he resigned in November 2022 amid allegations of sexual harassment by several girls in the school’s choir program. Following an investigation, Lafayette police arrested Burks in June of 2023 and the Prosecutor’s office charged him with 15 counts. After a four-day trial in November 2024, a jury found Burks guilty of eight counts of Level 6 felony Child Seduction, three counts of Level 5 felony Child Seduction and two counts of Level 6 felony Sexual Battery.
Three of Burks’ victims filed civil lawsuits against Burks, the Lafayette School Corporation and the school board alleging that he had groomed the girls and seeking monetary damages. “I’m so proud of these young ladies. It took courage for them to come forward and testify about their horrific experience. Hopefully the jury’s verdict gives them some measure of justice,” said their attorney, Tom Blessing. “We are grateful for the hard work and professionalism of the Tippecanoe County Prosecutor’s office and Lafayette Police Department. They did an outstanding job,” Blessing added. According to Blessing, this case represents a disturbing trend of teachers grooming their students: “I wish I could say that what happened to my clients was an isolated occurrence, but it’s not. I’m getting more calls from parents whose children are being victimized at school by the very people entrusted with their care. Schools have got to do a better job of not only screening their new teachers, but training and supervising them once they’re hired.”