NC authorities encourage victims to come forward in basketball coach human trafficking investigation

WADESBORO, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — There’s a push to encourage possible victims in an Anson County human trafficking and sexual abuse case to come forward.

Authorities in Anson and Stanly counties believe 30-year-old youth basketball coach Jamoszio Burch may have abused multiple victims in the area.

Burch smiled for his mugshot as he faces charges for human trafficking a child and indecent liberties with a child for alleged sexual abuse with at least one boy on his basketball team back in 2022.

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“Could you imagine how our children feel knowing that this guy is getting away with it, sitting there like going and laughing about it,” a victim’s mother said.

Burch worked as an assistant varsity coach at Union Academy Charter School for the 2023 season. He also coached for the travel team NC Jayhawks where parents paid $1,000 per child to play across the area.

Kelly Kirk, coordinator at Our House Tri-County Child Advocacy Center, says there are challenges getting victims to come forward in these types of cases.

“With victims in general, there’s a lot of shame, misplaced shame and there can be threats, there can be intimidation, there’s almost always grooming,” Kirk said. “So, the child may feel that somehow they’re at fault, or they may have brought it on, or the offender may tell them that they enjoyed it and there’s all kinds of mind games that these predators play on children and intimidate them.”

Kirk says parents who suspect their child was impacted should contact law enforcement immediately. Authorities in Anson and Stanly counties believe there are more victims.

“If you do feel like something has happened, I wouldn’t suggest probing too deeply,” Kirk said. “Because when you call law enforcement and/or (child protective services), they will take the child to have a professional forensic interview, you want to try to avoid re-traumatizing your child by having them tell multiple people the same story and kind of reliving that trauma.”

Victims who come forward would have access to mental health support from experts. Local child advocacy centers and law enforcement agencies want parents of possible victims to know it’s okay to speak up even if you feel like you’re missing some details.

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“If you have that gut feeling that based on what you’ve heard, or what you’ve seen, that there’s something there, it’s better to report it and have it investigated professionally than to say, oh I’m not gonna get involved or, you know, I don’t want to be bothered with that,” Kirk said. “Always err on the safe side.”

Authorities say parents can contact their local sheriff’s office if they believe their child may have been a victim of a crime. Burch is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday, March 27, to ask a judge to reduce his $250,000 secured bond.

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