Justice made a stark appearance in the walls of the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City as inmate Joseph Francis Butler, aged 34, faced the weight of his actions. In an announcement by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester, as reported on Tuesday, an imposing jury determined that on June 4, 2023, Butler entered another inmate's cell and committed aggravated sexual abuse.
The grim reality of the incident details Butler threatening his victim with a shank pressed to the victim’s neck and side. The survivor of the assault reported this violent contingency to a corrections officer shortly after the occurrence. "A federal jury has convicted JOSEPH FRANCIS BUTLER, 34, of Illinois, of committing aggravated sexual abuse at the Federal Transfer Center (FTC) in Oklahoma City," as per the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Charges were brought against Butler on July 17, 2024, after which he underwent a 4-day trial that concluded with his conviction on March 14, 2025. Following this judgment, Butler could face a life sentence in federal prison accompanied by a fine that may reach $250,000. The precise dictates of his sentencing are yet to unfurl.
Butler's decisive trial underscores the investigative efforts of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Service, who worked in concert with Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Edgmon and Brandon Hale in ensuring that the misdeed would not bypass the gaze of justice. The public filings bare additional details pertaining to this dark chapter sealed within the confines of the FTC.
