Pennsylvania Taekwondo Instructor Faces Multiple Felony Charges for Alleged Assault of Teen Student
A taekwondo instructor in Pennsylvania has been formally charged with sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl during private lessons at a martial arts studio. Steven Charles Burnisky, aged 22, is accused of assaulting the teenage student on multiple occasions at a studio located in Heidelberg.
Arrest and Charges
Burnisky was arrested on Friday and is currently being held at Allegheny County Jail while awaiting arraignment, according to the Allegheny County Police Department. He faces a total of seven felony charges, which include sexual assault, deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor, statutory sexual assault, sexual assault by a sports official or volunteer, dissemination to minors, and corruption of minors. Additionally, charging documents reveal he faces five counts of indecent assault.
Investigation Details
Detectives initiated their investigation into Burnisky, a 4th-degree black belt and taekwondo champion, on March 9. This followed the alleged victim's mother discovering sexually explicit text messages between Burnisky and her daughter on the teenager's phone. The complaint states that Burnisky became the girl's taekwondo instructor in 2024 and began displaying inappropriate physical affection toward her last summer.
Investigators allege that the sexual assault commenced early this year. The victim reported to police that she first met Burnisky in the summer of 2024 after starting to attend his taekwondo classes. She claimed their interactions grew more intimate last summer when Burnisky started giving her hugs and kissing her on the lips.
Alleged Abuse at the Studio
By the beginning of 2026, their relationship had reportedly evolved further. The victim told police they would kiss every day during her private lessons at the studio. They would cuddle while watching anime cartoons on his cell phone, and he would kiss her chest, legs, and stomach, according to court filings.
The charging documents state that the pair began having intercourse and oral sex in February. The victim alleged that they had sex during approximately half of their weekly visits, with every sexual act occurring at the martial arts studio.
Studio Involvement and Response
While police did not specifically name the studio in their press release, charging documents note the alleged assaults took place at the studio where Burnisky was teaching the girl. The Daily Mail has identified the location as Steel City ATA Martial Arts, where Burnisky previously worked as an instructor.
Burnisky's employment at Steel City ATA Martial Arts ended last month, according to a March 10 email obtained by WTAE. The studio wrote that "due to some private and unfortunate events that occurred recently, Mr. Burnisky is no longer employed with us." Studio officials declined to provide further details about the situation.
Burnisky's Background with the Studio
Burnisky appears to have a long history with Steel City ATA. The studio has featured him multiple times on its Facebook page, celebrating his accomplishments in the sport. In May 2024, officials congratulated him on winning the Pennsylvania State Championship in Traditional Weapons. There are also numerous photos and videos of him working with students. The studio even celebrated his achievements as a student back in June 2019 when he was preparing to compete in the Northeast District Championships.
Community Reaction
Community members have expressed shock upon learning of the alleged assault. Joyce Tenney, who has family members attending the studio, told WPXI, "Dude, I'm like shocked. Considering the police department is right there. The council building is the same building. How does somebody get away with this?"
Tenney added, "He should go to jail for a relatively decent amount of time and he should never be able to work around children." She has also urged parents to ensure their children are never alone with just one instructor.
The Daily Mail has approached Steel City ATA for comment. It remains unclear whether Burnisky has retained legal counsel at this time.
