Report: Badgers Hall-of-Fame inductee charged with sexually assaulting child

DULUTH, Minn. — A former Wisconsin Badgers football player and UW Athletics Hall-of-Fame inductee is facing allegations he sexually assaulted a young girl, according to a news report.

First reported by Duluth News Tribune, 44-year-old Tom Burke was arraigned Monday on one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

According to the criminal complaint cited by the newspaper, the assault allegations were first reported to authorities after the 7-year-old victim told her mother Burke assaulted her. Burke and the victim were known to each other.

Burke had reportedly been living in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.

Duluth News Tribune reported that a warrant was issued for Burke’s arrest on June 8. He waived extradition to Minnesota on Friday after he was arrested in Douglas County, Wisconsin. The alleged assault reportedly happened in St. Louis County, Minnesota.

Burke has denied the allegations, according to the report. If convicted, he could get 12-14 years in prison under Minnesota law.

Burke was raised in Poplar, Wisconsin where he played football for Northwestern High School before going on to play for the Wisconsin Badgers and the Arizona Cardinals. He was inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame last year.

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COPYRIGHT 2021 BY NEWS 8 NOW/NEWS 8000. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.