Sex Offender Expert Psychologist Kurt Bumby Convicted of Sodomy involving Teen

March 2, 2023

A Boone County jury on Thursday recommended a Columbia psycholgist spend seven years in prison and pay a fine after he was convicted of sexually abusing a former high school student.

Jurors deliberated for a short time after closing statements before returning a guilty verdict Thursday morning. They then entered the penalty phase to determine the punishment for Kurt Bumby, 53.

Both the defense as well as prosecution had opportunities to voice their closing statements, having one last chance to try and sway the jury one way or another.

The prosecutor Fumi Owoso urged the jury to take note of Bumby's manipulative behavior and asked for the jury to recommend the maximum seven-year sentence for Bumby.

"Later there's another trip to Mexico," Owoso said. "Just this boy and the kids. Why this focus on this boy? Why this focus on him? Again, obsession, sexual obsession with this boy."

The defense asked the jury to take into consideration the fact that there was nothing indicating Bumby was anything but a loving father to his children.

Defense attorney Joel Schwartz pointed out the fact the max sentence would keep him away from them for years.

"He doesn't come forward until seven years later, and he doesn't remember," Schwartz said. "Did he prove to you those words?"

The mother of the victim gave a statement talking about the affects the abuse had on her and her child.

"The notion, it'll never happen to me, until it does is true and rings home for me," the mother said. "I found no matter how educated, level headed and being a living dedicated parent, I could still be fooled and not able to protect my child."

By early afternoon jurors had recommended the maximum seven-year sentence. A judge will make the final determination April 14.

Bumby was convicted of two counts of second-degree sodomy connected to events in 2010 and 2011. A victim told authorities in 2019 that he and Bumby had a sexual relationship when he was in high school.

PSYCHCRIME NOTE: Bumby is a researcher and expert, specializing in the assessment and treatment of sex offenders. 

From 2003 until approximately when he was criminally charged (2019), he was a Senior Associate with the Center for Effective Public Policy, and 40-year-old non-profit organization that operates in area of criminal justice to “to improve…justice systems and facilitate equitable, systemic, and sustainable change. We believe our criminal legal systems should work for all, and that all justice should be community justice.”

In that capacity, he provided training and technical assistance nationwide to policymakers, administrators, and practitioners across disciplines to support sex offender management, prisoner reentry, and other court-based initiatives. 

Bumby’s prior positions included:

• Assistant Deputy Director and Clinical Director for the Missouri Division of Youth Services  

• Director of Juvenile and Sex Offender Services and Assistant Director of Correctional Mental Health Services for a private behavioral health corporation.  

• Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology with the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine.

He also received awards for his research:

• In 1994, the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers gave him the Graduate Research Award for Research Excellence in the Field of Sex Offender Treatment 

• In 1996, he was co-recipient of the Hugo G. Beigel Research Award from the Society for Scientific Study of Sexuality in 1996.

He is also a Past President of the Association for the Treatment of Sexual Abusers.

The alleged victim claimed the abuse would happen at Bumby's home in the middle of the night. The victim would spend the night at Bumby's house spending time with his friends who according to him, felt like had become "his brothers and sisters."

He claimed he would often sleep in Bumby's bed, while Bumby slept downstairs. In the middle of the night, the man claimed Bumby would often come into the room and get in bed with him.

The alleged victim claimed the abuse would happen at Bumby's home in the middle of the night. The victim would spend the night at Bumby's house spending time with his friends who according to him, felt like had become "his brothers and sisters."

He claimed he would often sleep in Bumby's bed, while Bumby slept downstairs. In the middle of the night, the man claimed Bumby would often come into the room and get in bed with him.

Bumby also faces a pair of sodomy charges in St. Louis County. A pre-trial conference is set for 9 a.m. Friday, March 17 in that case. A trial setting is set for 9 a.m. Monday, March 27.

Bumby also has a sodomy charge in St. Charles County. A disposition hearing in that case is set for 9 a.m. Monday, May 1.

Source: Matthew Sanders, Ethan Heinz, “Jury recommends max sentence for Columbia psychologist found guilty of sex crime,” KMIZ ABC News 17, Mar. 2, 2023, URL: https://abc17news.com/news/crime/2023/03/02/jury-recommends-max-sentence-for-columbia-psychologist-found-guilty-of-sex-crime/