Parents and community members in Payne County, Oklahoma, are expressing outrage after a student accused of multiple violent sexual assaults was reclassified in court from being tried as an adult to a “youthful offender.”
Now 18, Jesse Butler recently entered a no contest plea to 11 felony charges, including attempted first-degree rape, strangulation and violating a protective order. Because authorities said the crimes happened before he turned 18, the court adjusted his legal status under Oklahoma’s youthful offender laws.
Court filings show Butler was originally charged as an adult in March. He’s now being prosecuted as a youthful offender for rape, sexual battery and domestic assault and battery by strangulation.
His next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 8 in Payne County District Court.
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The Stillwater Police Department said officers were first notified Sept. 12, 2024, of incidents that reportedly took place earlier that year.
“A full investigation was initiated the following day that resulted in SPD submitting the case to the Payne County District Attorney’s Office, where it was reviewed and charges were filed,” the department said in a statement.
At the time, Butler was a student in Stillwater Public Schools. Court records obtained by KOCO include several emotional victim impact statements describing lasting fear and trauma.
“You didn’t just strangle me with your hands — you strangled my voice, my joy, my ability to feel safe in my own body,” one victim wrote.
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She said Butler also threatened to kill her if she spoke out.
A mother of one of the victims told KOCO the justice system “failed” her daughter.
“As a mom, I never thought I’d have to watch my daughter fight this kind of battle, one where she had to prove she was the victim, over and over again, while the system made excuse after excuse for the person who hurt her.”
Jesse Butler’s father, Mack Butler, is the former director of football operations at Oklahoma State University, located in Stillwater.
A police affidavit reviewed by Fox News details brutal acts, including a girlfriend who said she was repeatedly raped and strangled if she refused, and a doctor warned she would have died in one instance if the strangulation lasted seconds longer.
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Court documents show Butler remains bound by a sentence issued Aug. 25, 2025, contingent on full compliance with a state-supervised rehabilitation plan.
While Butler was sentenced to a total of 78 years, the sentence is suspended under Oklahoma’s youthful offender program, meaning Butler will not serve prison time unless he violates the plan’s conditions.
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He remains under Office of Juvenile Affairs supervision until his 19th birthday, subject to counseling, therapy, more than 100 hours of community service, a curfew, no social media, daily check-ins and weekly counseling, according to documents obtained by Fox News.
The Payne County District Attorney’s Office said it followed state law in handling the case, noting that Butler was 17 at the time of the offenses and therefore fell under Oklahoma’s youthful offender statute.
The office said the designation allows the court to maintain supervision until the defendant’s 19th birthday and gives him a chance for rehabilitation while still holding him accountable.
A spokesperson added that the law does not erase the crimes or minimize their impact but provides “a legal path for accountability and rehabilitation under state law.”
If Butler fulfills the terms of the program and avoids further legal trouble, he can remain out of prison, though any violation could result in the full sentence being enforced.
State Rep. J.J. Humphrey, R-Lane, called the outcome “unacceptable” and said he plans to file a petition for a grand jury investigation into how Payne County prosecutors handled the case.
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“If that don’t set you on fire, your wood’s wet,” Humphrey told Fox News Digital. “You know what I mean? You’ve got a bad deal. That sets me on fire.”
He accused local officials of showing “favoritism” and contrasted Butler’s case with others in which defendants faced harsher penalties.
“Does it absolutely smack of political favor that you’re going to erase rapes and sexual crimes so you can give this guy a slap on the wrist?” Humphrey said. “Oklahoma, better pay attention. Wake up.”
Neither the presiding judge nor the District Attorney’s Office has issued additional comment beyond the written statement. Fox News Digital reached out to Butler’s legal team for comment.
Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.
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