Peach deputy charged with sending nude photographs of himself to teen

FORT VALLEY -- A Peach County sheriff's deputy was fired this week after being charged with one count of sexual exploitation of a child.

Donald Blake Burnham, 50, of Byron, is charged with sending nude photographs of himself to a 17-year-old female, Peach County Sheriff Terry Deese said. Burnham was not reached for comment.

Exchanged text messages recovered from their phones indicate that Burnham had been involved in a sexual relationship with the teen since mid-September, Deese said.

Because the age of consent in Georgia is 16, the relationship itself was not illegal, Deese said.

"Still, a 50-year-old man with children having a relationship with a 17-year-old is not exactly conduct I would tolerate with my deputies," the sheriff said.

Under Georgia's sexting law, it's illegal to share explicit photos with someone under the age of 18, Deese said.

The conduct came to light a few weeks ago when the teen's parents arrived at the sheriff's office with concerns their daughter was involved with someone in law enforcement, Deese said.

The parents, who did not know at the time that the officer was a sheriff's deputy, brought the teenager's phone with them to the sheriff's office, Deese said.

Investigators seized Burnham's work and personal cellphones. He was suspended Oct. 21, charged criminally on Monday and fired on Tuesday. He is free on bond.

Burnham was a school resource officer at Peach County High School, but the teen is not a student in the Peach County school system, Deese said.

Burnham, who has worked for the sheriff's office about 2 1/2 years, has worked as a Byron and Macon police officer, Deese said.

The Georgia Peace Officer Standards and Training Council, which certifies law enforcement officers in Georgia, was notified of Burnham's arrest and termination, Deese said.

The charge against Burnham is a felony, Deese said.

To contact writer Becky Purser, call 256-9559 or find her on Twitter@becpurser.

This story was originally published November 6, 2015 at 1:11 PM with the headline "Peach deputy charged with sending nude photographs of himself to teen ."