The parents of a teenage victim have gone public after Jesse Mack Butler, 18, pleaded no contest to 11 felony sexual-assault charges but received youthful-offender status instead of prison. Butler, who was 16–17 at the time of the alleged offenses, is subject to supervision that includes specialized therapy, community service and strict check-ins; failure to comply could lead to adult reclassification and up to 10 years in prison. Victims’ families and protesters say sealed records and the sentence deny transparency and justice, while the district attorney says state law favors rehabilitation for minors. The family’s attorney has filed a motion alleging violations during the plea and sentencing process.
Victim’s Family Speaks Out After Oklahoma Teen Avoids Prison in Violent Sexual Assault Case
Victim’s family breaks silence as Oklahoma teen in violent sex assault case avoids prison time: report
Families in Stillwater, Oklahoma, say they remain unsettled after Jesse Mack Butler, now 18, who was accused of multiple violent sexual assaults, avoided a prison sentence — a decision that has sparked protests, renewed calls for transparency and fresh anguish from victims’ relatives.
Case Background
Butler, who was 16–17 at the time of the alleged incidents, pleaded no contest earlier this year to 11 felony counts, including attempted rape, rape by instrumentation, sexual battery, forcible oral sodomy, domestic assault by strangulation and violating a protective order. Prosecutors previously said those charges could have carried a combined sentence of up to 78 years if tried and convicted in adult court.
Instead, the court granted Butler youthful-offender status, a classification that keeps him out of prison but subjects him to supervision. His sentence requires counseling with a specialist, community service, a court-ordered curfew, daily check-ins and weekly visits with the Office of Juvenile Affairs. The district attorney has said failure to comply could result in reclassification to adult status and expose Butler to up to 10 years in prison on the qualifying counts.
Family Reaction And Community Response
In a televised interview with Juju Chang on Nightline, previewed on Good Morning America, the parents of one of the victims spoke publicly for the first time about the emotional toll of the assaults and why they believe the outcome failed their daughter. The victim, identified as Kate, was 16 when she began dating Butler; her parents say she initially seemed polite and attentive but later showed worrying changes in behavior. She is finishing her senior year online and has opted out of milestone events such as prom and graduation.
Officers move in to arrest 18-year-old Jesse Butler as his mother looks on. He received a youthful offender sentence in a sex assault case, sparing him prison.
'Community service and counseling doesn’t equate to what he did to her — what he’s taken from her,' the victim’s mother, Ivonne, said. 'I’m just hoping that his name will be out there. That somebody will know that he’s capable of this and anything we can do to prevent other harm,' Kate’s father, Austin, added.
Court documents obtained by media outlets detailed serious allegations, including repeated strangulation, forced sexual acts, threats and one account saying a victim was left 'near death.' Those graphic descriptions intensified community outrage and prompted protesters to gather outside the Payne County Courthouse during a Dec. 8 compliance hearing.
Transparency, Legal Reasoning And Ongoing Challenges
Protesters and victims’ advocates raised concerns about sealed records and argued that keeping certain documents confidential appeared to shield the defendant rather than protect victims. At the hearing a judge agreed to unseal some records, a move advocates said could increase transparency.
Payne County District Attorney Laura Austin Thomas explained to The Oklahoman that prosecutors initially filed some counts in adult court so the allegations would remain part of the public record, since juvenile proceedings in Oklahoma are generally confidential. Thomas also noted that state law emphasizes rehabilitation for defendants who were under 18 at the time of alleged offenses and that only two of the 11 counts legally qualified for adult prosecution.
Critics have questioned whether local ties — including the defendant’s family connections to the university and the judge’s alumni status — affected the outcome; no evidence has been presented that those relationships influenced the ruling. The family’s attorney, Rachel Bussett, said incarceration was warranted and has filed a motion alleging the victim’s rights were violated during plea and sentencing proceedings.
Current Status
Butler remains under supervision with required therapy and monitoring. Supporters of the victims are calling for greater transparency and reforms to ensure accountability, while local officials point to legal limits and rehabilitation priorities for juvenile offenders. The case remains contentious as advocates, legal representatives and the community continue to press for answers.
