Video shows Stillwater police arresting Jesse Mack Butler at his home
Jesse Mack Butler pleaded no contest to rape and assault. He faced years of incarceration but was instead sentenced to rehabilitation and community service.
Provided by Stillwater Police Department
Editor’s note: This article contains descriptions of sexual assault and domestic abuse some readers may find disturbing.
Protesters gathered outside an Oklahoma courthouse on Monday, Dec. 8, to express frustration over a judge not handing down prison time to an 18-year-old former high school baseball player convicted of sexually assaulting two girls.
Jesse Mack Butler, 18, a former Stillwater High School baseball player, pleaded no contest this summer to charges including sexual assault, strangulation and domestic abuse in connection to the rape of two female teenagers.
The city of Stillwater is in north-central Oklahoma, just over 60 miles northeast of Oklahoma City and about 70 miles west of Tulsa.
According to court records reviewed by USA TODAY, a judge’s Aug. 25 sentence allowed Butler to avoid prison time for the conviction, however, after having his status changed to being a youthful offender and being sentenced to probation.
His father was previously tied to Oklahoma State University where he was the former director of operations for Oklahoma State University’s football team, the USA TODAY Network previously reported. In addition, the special judge who granted Butler youthful offender status, Susan Worthington, also has longstanding ties to OSU, where she earned two bachelor’s degrees, The Oklahoman, part of the USA TODAY Network, reported.
Court records show Butler appeared in court on Monday, Nov. 5 for a hearing in which Payne County District Judge Michael Kulling found the teen in compliance with terms of his plea deal which allows the convicted teen to remain on probation.
Outside the courthouse, demonstrators who oppose the case’s outcome held signs that read, “Hold Jesse Responsible,” and “Dirty Judge Define Justice!”
In a statement, Payne County District Attorney Laura Austin Thomas’ office verified Butler received a sentence that requires him to “complete his rehabilitation plan successfully, including an aggressive schedule of therapy with a specialist in sex offender treatment, and should he fail, he faces reclassification as an adult and a sentence of ten years in prison.”
Under the plea, Butler must also attend weekly counseling sessions and check-in with his probation officer until his 19th birthday, recently unsealed court records in the case show.
Father of teen convicted of rape is former OSU football director
Butler, who was age 16 and 17 at the time of the offenses, was previously denied a request to be charged as a juvenile. But during a July 24 hearing, his status was changed to youthful offender, granting him the chance for rehabilitation and less severe punishment than what an adult would receive.
Worthington, who granted Butler youthful offender status earlier this summer in Butler’s case, has faced scrutiny for her ties to OSU, where Butler’s father had formerly been the director of football operations.
Attorney Rachel Bussett, who represents one of Jesse Butler’s victims and her family, said her client was not aware he would ultimately avoid prison time, local station KOKH-TV reported.
“The clients are not happy with the plea deal. It was not discussed with them. They did not approve of it and that it should not have been handled the way that it was handled,” Bussett told the outlet. “Justice would look like not being raped, but we can’t go back and do that.”
Kulling presided over the rest of Butler’s proceedings and ultimately approved his rehabilitation plan.
If Butler violates the terms of his parole, he faces up to 10 years in prison time under the plea.
Police reports detail brutal incidents of sexual violence
According to arrest affidavits, the Stillwater Police Department reported two victims reported the crimes to Stillwater High School authorities in September of that year. One student told a school resource officer that she and Butler were in a romantic relationship from late January to early March 2024.
The affidavits detailed several incidents in February 2024 where the first victim said she did not want to have sexual intercourse with Butler but that he would aggressively force her into the act. After some of the incidents, she even began to bleed. According to the affidavit, the first victim “complied with Butler out of fear of what he would do to her if she did not.”
The second victim told police her relationship with Butler began in late March 2024 and ended six months later. “During their relationship, (she) reported Butler was often physically and mentally abusive and had sexually assaulted her on numerous occasions,” an officer wrote in the affidavit.
The second victim also told investigators that in mid-summer 2024, Butler sexually assaulted her after he recorded strangling her to unconsciousness. A detective later searching Butler’s phone wrote that she found video of at least one incident matching the timeframe.
Demonstrators previously gathered to protest Jesse Butler’s sentencing
The move is not the first time protesters gathered outside the courthouse to voice their opinion.
On Nov. 5, demonstrators gathered outside of the Payne County Courthouse to protest Butler’s sentence.
Attempts by the USA TODAY Network to reach Butler’s father were unsuccessful. The Oklahoman also reached out to Worthington’s office, but staff said they would not comment.
USA TODAY has reached out to Butler’s attorney, Derek Chance.
Contributing: Jessie Christopher Smith, The Oklahoman
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
