Firefighters Accused Of Holding Teen Down Against His Will Found Guilty Of Assault
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Two members of the Fallston Volunteer Fire Department were found guilty of assault in connection with an incident last summer, in which they held a teenager down against his will.
Andrew Burkins and John Hefner both entered an Alford plea, but were each found guilty of one count of second-degree assault.
Both were ordered to one year of supervised probation, to have no contact with any member of the victim's family, to complete 16 Community Work Service hours, and complete the Errors in Thinking program through the Harford County Health Department.
The assault charge goes back to an incident in the summer of 2017, in which Burkins, Hefner, and Colby Ogrysko, also a member of the VFC, were "horse-playing" in the bunkroom of the fire company with the victim, who was a member of the Fallston Volunteer Fire Department Cadet Program.
Hefner reportedly told the victim he was very thin, and asked if he was a Holocaust victim.
Burkins and Hefner then threw the victim down onto a bunk, and held him down against his will for about 30 seconds.
The incident wasn't reported to the Harford County Sheriff's Office until November.
The victim reportedly gave his input on potential plea agreements.
Follow @WJZ on Twitter and like WJZ-TV | CBS Baltimore on Facebook
