MK_032819

4 | March 28, 2019 | the mokena messenger news
mokenamessenger.com
Man again charged with sexual abuse of
minor less than two weeks after jail release
Bill Jones, Managing Editor
Just 13 days after being
released from jail for
a similar crime, an Orland
Park man was charged
with sexually abusing a
second teenager before his
incarceration.
Philip W. Buroff, 25, of
Orland Park, was charged
March 13 with criminal
aggravated sexual abuse
(13-16 years old), according
to a press release issued
March 18 by the Will
County Sheriff’s Department.
Buroff was originally
arrested May 8 by Will
County Sheriff’s detectives
and charged with
From March 19
two counts
aggravated
criminal
sexual
abuse/ages
13 to 18 and
two counts
of aggravated
criminal
Buroff
sexual abuse after he allegedly
had a sexual relationship
with a minor, teenage
employee of the Wendy’s
in Mokena, where he
served as a supervisor. At
the time of that offense,
Buroff was a supervisor
at several Wendy’s restaurants.
He reportedly spent
time at the Will County
Adult Detention Facil-
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ity awaiting a bench trial.
As part of a plea agreement,
he was sentenced
to 180 days in jail with
three years of probation,
according to the press release.
On that court date,
Feb. 28, he reportedly was
released, having served
his time.
Thirteen days later, Buroff
was arrested by Manteno
police, with the help
of Will County Sheriff’s
detectives. The arrest followed
a new investigation
into the complaint of
a second female, Wendy’s
employee.
Buroff allegedly assaulted
the second female on
three separate occasions
prior to his arrest in May
2018 and then contacted
the female following his
release from jail. He also
was charged with child
pornography after files
were found on his phone,
police said.
Buroff’s bond reportedly
has been set at $1
million in Kankakee
County, and the Will
County State’s Attorney’s
Office is looking into revoking
Buroff’s probation
for violating his conditions
on the previous
charges.
Will County Sheriff’s
detectives are asking
anyone who may have
information about Buroff
having any other potential
relationships with underage
persons to contact
Detective Corey Burket
at (815) 727-8574 ext.
4965.
Buroff reportedly has
been a supervisor at several
Wendy’s locations in
the areas of Frankfort, Mokena,
Manteno and Matteson.
Suburban area priests named in
new abuse allegations reports
Bill Jones, Managing Editor
A report released by a
Minnesota-based attorney
who advocates for sexual
abuse victims names 395
alleged abusers and others
with accusations of misconduct
who have served,
past and present, in the
Catholic Church in Illinois.
The 185-page report
includes all six Illinois
dioceses, and publishes
background information,
photographs and assignment
histories of Catholic
clergy and laypersons accused
of sexual misconduct.
Among those named
in the report were priests
who over the years have
had assignments in 22nd
Century Media’s southwest
suburban coverage
area.
Some of the allegations
previously have been reported
by 22nd Century
Media and other publications
in some cases
predating this company.
Some of the allegations
also have been publicly
reported by various dioceses
or archdioceses. The
assignments of priests to
churches in 22nd Century
Media’s coverage area are
noted in the text that follows,
but many of those
priests were assigned to
other parishes, outside of
our coverage area, as well.
More information is available
in the full report at an
dersonadvocates.com.
In the wake of the report,
both the Archdiocese
of Chicago and Diocese of
Joliet issued statements.
The Archdiocese said it
reports all allegations it
receives to civil authorities
and does not “police
itself.”
“If the Archdiocese of
Chicago receives an allegation
that a religious
priest has engaged in
sexual misconduct with a
minor, the archdiocese reports
it to the civil authorities,
publicly withdraws
the priest’s faculties to
work in the archdiocese,
and refers the matter to
his religious superior,” according
to the statement.
The Archdiocese statement
also took issue with
how the report “conflates
people who have been accused,
but may be innocent,
with those who have
substantiated allegations
against them,” and offers
several examples, some of
which have been noted in
the text that follows. It also
notes the differences that
pertain to religious order
priests.
The Diocese of Joliet
similarly noted it reports
“all allegations of child
sexual abuse to law enforcement”
and in cases
that involve victims who
are still minors to DCFS.
It said all allegations in
the report previously were
reported by the Diocese to
authorities and has posted
a list on its website since
2006.
“All credibly accused
priests have been removed
from ministry,” according
to the Diocese statement.
The statement further
noted the Anderson Report
includes allegations that
were “unsubstantiated or
deemed not credible by the
Diocese of Joliet Review
Board, or the claim did
not involve child abuse.”
It also notes some priests
were of visiting status, and
in such cases or those involving
allegations against
members of a religious
order the diocese has revoked
their authority to
minister in the Diocese of
Joliet.
“The Diocese of Joliet
continues to express its
genuine regret and profound
sympathy to any
victims and survivors of
sexual abuse by clergy in
the Diocese of Joliet and
elsewhere,” the statement
added. “We are committed
to promoting the healing
and reconciliation of survivors,
and the protection
of our children today.”
Mokena
• James Burnett: Assigned
to St. Mary in Mokena
(1974-1990)
After working for over
three decades in the Diocese
of Joliet, the priest
was placed on administrative
leave in 2006, after
a man filed a lawsuit alleging
he had been sexually
abused as a child by
Burnett. According to the
lawsuit, Burnett sexually
abused the boy approximately
40 times at St.
Mary Church in Mokena,
starting in 1978, when the
boy was 8 years old.
At some point following
the first accusation, a
second man came forward
also alleging he had been
sexually abused by Burnett.
In March of 2007,
the Diocese of Joliet announced
that its Review
Committee found the first
accusation not credible but
was unable to resolve the
credibility of the second
accusation, according to
the report.
Following the first two
accusations, a third man
came forward and filed a
civil lawsuit. It is thought
that this lawsuit was eventually
settled in March
Please see priests, 6