The 1993 disappearance of a 10-year-old Prince George’s County boy led to a nationwide FBI probe of Internet predators and the discovery of a pedophile ring. But the boy remains missing and the case of George Stanley Burdynski remains unsolved.
Burdynski, who was known as “Junior,” was last seen on May 24, 1993, pedaling his red bicycle near his parents’ house along the 4300 block of 40th Place in Brentwood.
One lead involved a ring of pedophiles who preyed on boys from the Burdynskis’ Brentwood neighborhood and who had sexually exploited numerous juveniles over a 25-year period.
Detectives discovered that Junior and his friends spent time at the homes of James A. Kowalski, of Winchester, Va.; Stephen Leak, of Hyattsville; and Joseph Lynch of Mount Rainier.
Authorities believe the men sexually abused two of Junior’s friends the weekend before he disappeared.
The men were convicted of child abuse but were not charged in Junior’s disappearance.
The investigation helped teach the FBI about computer savvy pedophiles. Adults were routinely using computers to transmit sexually explicit images to minors and lure minors into engaging in illicit sexual activity.
The result was the creation of an FBI undercover operation that targets predators online, “Innocent Images.”
To date, Innocent Images has opened 20,000 cases and convicted more than 6,800 people for child pornography and child exploitation crimes.
In 2002, detectives announced they were focusing on an individual that might have killed Junior. Authorities said then that the investigation did not involve any of the convicted child molesters. The police did not release the name of the suspect, and the investigation continues.
Junior would have turned 28 this year. He had dark blond hair, brown eyes and a scar on the right side of his face above his mouth.
If you have any information concerning Junior’s case, please contact Prince George’s County police detectives at 301-772-4925 or the FBI at 202-324-3000.
