WALLACE — An Osburn man will serve the next 10 years behind bars following a recent sentencing in a Shoshone County sex abuse case. 

District Judge Barbara Duggan sentenced Maxwell Burrell to 15 years in prison, with 10 years fixed and five years indeterminate, as part of a plea agreement. 

Burrell, 53, was arrested in August 2025 and charged with three counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16. 

The charges stem from allegations made by three separate victims: Burrell’s former stepdaughter and two children he previously babysat at his Osburn home. The incidents date back to 2019, with the most recent allegedly occurring in February 2025. 

Osburn police were alerted after a detective with the Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office received a criminal complaint filed with the Post Falls Police Department detailing the alleged abuse. 

According to the probable cause affidavit, Burrell initially denied any wrongdoing but later changed his story. He claimed that sexual encounters happened with two of the reported victims, but said they had initiated the contact. Both victims were 10 years old at the time. 

When questioned further about one of the incidents, Burrell reportedly said, “I’m not gonna say it happened. I’m not gonna say it didn’t happen. It’s a possibility.” 

Court records also state that Burrell underwent two polygraph tests during the investigation, with both tests indicating he was being deceptive during questioning. 

According to court records, Burrell initially pleaded not guilty to all three counts during his October arraignment. In February, he accepted a plea agreement with the state, under which he pleaded guilty to one count. The remaining two were dropped. 

Judge Duggan, who is not bound to follow the terms of a plea agreement, followed the state’s recommendation with the 15-year sentence. 

In Idaho, lewd conduct with a minor under 16 carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and requires lifelong sex offender registration.