Georgia Teacher in Lycoming County Prison Hit with New Felony After Refusing to Provide Voice Samples

WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA — A Georgia high school teacher already jailed in Pennsylvania on serious child sex crime charges now faces an additional felony after repeatedly refusing to comply with a judge’s order to provide voice samples for investigators.

According to court documents filed by Pennsylvania State Trooper Josiah Reiner, 45-year-old Eric Burton — a social studies teacher from Woodstock, Georgia — was charged last week with obstruction of justice after twice rejecting a court order requiring him to read statements for voice comparison analysis.

Burton has been held at the Lycoming County Prison since December 2024, after being extradited from Georgia to face multiple felony and misdemeanor charges, including photographing or videotaping sexual acts of a minor, indecent exposure, and related offenses.

Court Says Burton Refused to Comply with Voice Warrant

Trooper Reiner’s affidavit states that on June 2, a district judge granted a search warrant for recorded voice samples to compare with audio files recovered from Burton’s social media accounts, specifically from his Snapshot profile.

When served the warrant at the county prison, Burton allegedly read it and the accompanying affidavit but refused to provide any voice samples as ordered by the court.

After consulting the district attorney’s office, Reiner sought a second warrant, approved by District Judge Gary Whiteman, in an attempt to resolve the issue with Burton’s defense attorney present. Despite that, Burton again declined to cooperate when served on August 8, reportedly telling officers he simply wanted to “go back to his cell.”

New Felony Filed for Obstruction of Justice

Following Burton’s continued noncompliance, investigators filed a felony obstruction charge earlier this month. He was arraigned and ordered held on an additional $25,000 bail on top of his existing incarceration.

Authorities say the voice recordings are a key component in their investigation, as they intend to compare Burton’s speech patterns to audio clips obtained from the suspect’s online communications with the alleged victim.

Teacher Still Awaiting Trial on Original Charges

Burton, who lived in Kennesaw, Georgia, a suburb of Atlanta, was first arrested in late 2024 after authorities accused him of having an online sexual relationship with a Lycoming County minor.

He was extradited to Pennsylvania in mid-December and held for trial following a preliminary hearing. Prosecutors allege Burton used online platforms to communicate, record, and exchange explicit material with the underage victim.

Court officials say his trial date has not yet been set, and the obstruction charge could further complicate his legal situation.

Legal Experts: Refusal May Strengthen Prosecution’s Case

Legal experts note that Burton’s refusal to comply with lawful court orders could negatively impact his defense strategy, particularly if prosecutors argue it shows a conscious effort to obstruct evidence collection.

“This is a clear example of how noncooperation can lead to additional criminal liability,” one Pennsylvania defense attorney said. “When you defy a judicial order, especially in a felony investigation, the court is left with little choice but to act.”

Burton remains incarcerated at Lycoming County Prison, with no indication of bond reduction or release.

For ongoing updates on this case and other regional crime reports, follow SaludaStandard-Sentinel.com.