OKLAHOMA CITY – A federal jury has convicted Joseph Francis Butler, a 34-year-old man from Illinois, of aggravated sexual abuse at a federal facility in Oklahoma City, U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester announced.
On July 17, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Butler with aggravated sexual abuse. After a four-day trial, the jury found him guilty on March 14, 2025.
Evidence presented during the trial showed that on June 4, 2023, Butler, an inmate at the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City, entered another inmate’s cell and sexually assaulted him. Throughout the attack, Butler held a shank to the victim’s neck and side, threatening his life.
The victim promptly reported the assault to a corrections officer.
At sentencing, Joseph Francis Butler faces a possible life sentence in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A sentencing date has not yet been set.
The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Service. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Edgmon and Brandon Hale are prosecuting the case.
