A mother said ‘the wind had been knocked out’ of her when her daughter’s rapist avoided prison because of his age.
Baseball star Jesse Butler, 18, was spared jail after a court adjusted his status from adult to ‘youthful offender’ under Oklahoma’s laws.
He could have been in line for a 10-year spell behind bars for abusing two young girls, but has now been given a rehabilitation order and must complete a few hours of community service.
Butler changed his plea from not guilty to ‘no contest’ in response to 10 felony charges relating to rape, attempted rate, domestic assault and battery by strangulation.
State representative Justin Humphrey, R-Lane, called the verdict ‘unacceptable’ and said he intended to file a petition for a grand jury investigation into how the case was handled.
Accusing officials of favouritism, Humphrey said: ‘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?’
Court papers show that Butler adopted the facade of the ‘perfect boyfriend’ before violently raping his victims if and when they refused to have sex with him.
The court heard that he strangled his first victim unconscious, to the point of nearly killing her.
Photos of the girl shared by her mother showed a two-inch scar on her neck.
Butler, the son of a successful sports coach, further threatened to kill her, her family or his own family if she reported his behaviour.
The baseball player filmed himself strangling another young victim until she was unconscious for turning down sex.
Under his rehabilitation order which will remain in place until his 19th birthday, Butler will be subject to a curfew, daily check-ins, weekly counselling and an ‘aggressive’ programme of therapy with a sex offender treatment specialist.
If he fails, he faces possible reclassification as an adult.
He will also be banned from social media and required to complete 150 hours community service.
The victims’ families said the ruling sparing Butler a prison sentence was ‘appalling’ and a ‘slap in the face’, while keeping alive the risk he may be able to reoffend.
‘It’s a complete injustice to these girls and to future victims, because unfortunately, statistically, it won’t end’, one anonymous parent told the Daily Mail.
The mother, named only as Amber, said it felt as if ‘the air was knocked out of me’ after hearing Butler’s sentence.
She said that her life was ‘turned upside down’ as her daughter was abused by Butler over a three-month period.
The other girl’s mother, Yvonne, said her daughter was ‘frustrated’ by the outcome, having been assured that Butler would be brought to justice.
She said she was ‘blindsided’ by Butler, who initially masqueraded as a good boyfriend, giving their daughter flowers and taking her on dates.
But the rapist showed his true colours at his own home, where he routinely abused his victim.
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