Accused rapist out on bond he “couldn’t afford”

  • Le’Trey Antwine Burton, 28, of Tomball
    Le’Trey Antwine Burton, 28, of Tomball
Burton appears on a Lamar track roster from 2016

A former Lamar University track athlete charged for raping a 14-year-old in 2019 posted bond June 22 after telling a Jefferson County judge June 21 he lacked the wherewithal to post 10% of his $100,000 bond.

Tomball native Le’Trey Antwine Burton, 28, who ran track for Lamar between 2013 and 2016, was arrested May 21 for allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old at his Sienna Trail address. According to a probable cause affidavit penned by Beaumont Police Department (BPD) Detective Michael Nixon, a 14-year-old girl made an outcry on July 2, 2019, that Burton overpowered her, stripped off her clothing and forcibly raped her as she tried to escape.

Burton appeared before Judge John Stevens June 21 to ask that his bond be reduced to an affordable level. According to testimony from Burton and his attorney Herschel Cashin, the defendant lacked funds to foot the bill. However, according to information from the Jefferson County jail, Burton posted bond the next day. 

A college friend of Burton’s appeared in court via Zoom from a noisy Las Vegas building, telling the judge she’d still be comfortable spending time with the defendant, despite allegations levelled against him. In a further attempt to sway the judge into lowering his client’s bond, Cashin called on Burton’s mother to testify. Although Cashin told Stevens she would appear, Mrs. Burton never entered the Zoom conference, nor did she answer Cashin’s calls. 

Responding to questions regarding Burton’s financial status, the defendant told Stevens he has a job at Sterling McCall Ford waiting for him should this issue be resolved. Additionally, Burton said he owned a 2020 Volkswagen Passat, whose Kelly Blue Book value sits in the range of $27,000.

Ultimately, Stevens rejected the motion to reduce Burton’s bond, deeming the amount sufficiently high for the alleged crime. That rejection didn’t prove to be the hurdle Burton’s testimony described since he posted the bail he “couldn’t afford” a day after making the claim.