Former EMT instructor sentenced to up to 30 years in prison for sexually abusing students

SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — The former Salt Lake City fire captain and EMT instructor previously convicted of sexually abusing his students was sentenced by a judge on Wednesday to 2 to 30 years in prison.

Christopher David Burk was convicted by a jury of 9 felony sexual abuse charges on Friday, February 27. The jury also found him not guilty of four counts of forcible sexual abuse. On Wednesday, a Third District Court judge sentenced him to 2 to 30 years in prison.

Burk was originally charged in January 2025 after two female students came forward to report that they were abused by Burk, who was their EMT instructor at the time. In February 2025, additional charges were filed when four additional women reported their abuse, and in April 2025, more charges were added once a seventh woman came forward.

According to the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office, on October 10, 2024, the first victim reported that she was enrolled in an EMT class at Salt Lake Community College when her instructor, Burk, asked her to stay behind to “review some things.” He then took her to another classroom to show her how to “do assessments,” and he sexually assaulted her multiple times under the pretense of teaching emergency responses.

She said that she was afraid to report his behavior because she was concerned about retaliation and that she would fail her course.

The college notified police that that a second victim came forward, alleging that Burk had also sexually assaulted her multiple times. She reported that she went on a ride-along with Burk as a captain with the Salt Lake City Fire Department, and he sexually assaulted her. She said that she was concerned that reporting him would affect her future and employment.

Reportedly, one of those victims told investigators that the trauma she sustained caused her to drop out of the program.

Burk was initially charged with six counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse and one count of third-degree felony attempted forcible sexual abuse.

In February 2025, additional charges were filed against Burk because of similar allegations from four different women. He was charged with five more counts of forcible sexual abuse and one count of attempted forcible sexual abuse.

In April 2025, prosecutors removed one count of attempted forcible sexual abuse, but they also added three more counts of forcible sexual abuse because of additional allegations from one of the previous victims. Later that month, he received one more charge of forcible sexual abuse because of allegations from a seventh victim. However, that charge was later removed in an amendment filing in May 2025.

Some of the other victims were a high school student enrolled in a program and an employee attending a CPR training at her workplace. All of the victims had similar stories of being asked to stay behind after a class or being invited on a ride-along with the fire department. Once they were alone, Burk would demonstrate “medical assessments” on them, sexually assaulting them.

Ultimately, Burk was found guilty of eight counts of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse and one count of third-degree felony attempted forcible sexual abuse.

“Powerful statements from the victim-survivors were read by our prosecutors at the sentencing. One spoke about being preyed on by someone that used the guise of authority and professionalism to lure her in. Another mentioned that the accountability imposed by the judge matters not just for justice, but for the safety and dignity of others,” said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.

Gill extended his thanks to the prosecutors, social workers, and support staff involved in the case. He also thanked the detectives of the Sandy Police Department for their work in the investigation which led to this verdict.

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