Police say man assaulted teen he met online

A 20-year-old man has been charged after he engaged in sexual relations with a 13-year-old girl whom he met on a social networking site, according to authorities.

Steve Burton, who police say lives on the 1800 block of California Avenue at the Great Lakes Naval Station in North Chicago, admitted to police that he engaged in sex acts with the girl at least five times after meeting her on MySpace.com, according to the Cook County sheriff’s office.

On Jan. 15, a Des Plaines police officer found Burton and the victim in the process of getting dressed in a vehicle parked in Lions Woods at Golf and River roads, officials said.

Burton was brought in for questioning and told detectives that he had met the girl on MySpace when she was 12 and they had been texting and talking on Facebook for approximately six months, according to police.

Both the victim and Burton told police that he knew that the girl was underage, police said.

The victim told investigators that on Jan. 15 Burton called her several times, showed up at her home and drove her to the forest preserve, where they engaged in sex acts, according to the sheriff’s office.

Burton was charged with one count each of criminal sexual assault and aggravated criminal sexual abuse, according to police.

Burton provided a written statement admitting that he knew the victim was 12 when they met online, police said.

Burton appeared in court on Jan. 17, where bail was set at $100,000. His next court date is Thursday, Feb. 3, in Skokie.