Pender County jury convicts Burgaw man of First Degree Forcible Rape

BURGAW, NC (WWAY) — A Burgaw man will spend 26.5 to 39 years in prison for raping a woman in Hampstead in 2023.

On August 1, 2025, a Pender County jury convicted Tony Robinson, 66, of Burgaw of first degree forcible rape, first degree kidnapping, discharging a weapon within an enclosure to incite fear, possession of firearm by felon, felony breaking and entering, and assault on a female.

The jury returned a verdict of guilty on all charges after just over 30 minutes of deliberation.

When Robinson arrived at a woman’s home in Hampstead unannounced in 2023, he pushed his way inside, held her at gunpoint, and raped her. During the course of the evening, he physically assaulted her, shot a small revolver into her bathroom ceiling, and raped her multiple times.

As soon as he fell asleep, the victim called 911. Deputies from the Pender County Sheriff’s Office found Robinson in the victim’s bed with the gun in his pocket.

He was arrested and taken to the Pender County Sheriff’s Office where he chose to speak with now retired Detective Steve Clinard and claimed that the sex was consensual.

Robinson has previously been convicted of sexual assault felonies in New York and South Carolina. The 1994 rape victim from South Carolina testified at this trial.

“I commend the victim in both the case at bar and the victim in the 1994 case for their participation in this trial,” District Attorney Jason W. Smith remarked. “Without the courage of these victims and the sound investigation by the Pender County Sheriff’s Office we would not have been able to secure this conviction against a serial rapist. The lengthy sentence will ensure that this defendant will not hurt anyone in the future.”