Teen from Prominent Family Avoids Prison Time After Serious Sexual and Strangulation Charges

STILLWATER, Okla. — Public outrage has erupted in Oklahoma after an 18-year-old man from a prominent local family avoided prison despite being accused of raping, strangling, and filming attacks on two women.

According to court documents and reports from People, Jesse Butler, a recent graduate of Stillwater High School, pleaded no contest to multiple felony charges, including first-degree rape, attempted rape, rape by instrumentation, and domestic assault and battery by strangulation. Butler had faced up to 78 years in prison.

Despite the severity of the accusations — which included evidence that Butler filmed at least one of the assaults on his cellphone — the judge sentenced him to probation, community service, and mandatory counseling, allowing him to avoid any jail time.

The attacks reportedly occurred in 2024, when two female students came forward describing separate incidents of sexual assault and strangulation. Prosecutors said Butler recorded one of the assaults and later showed the footage to others, further traumatizing the victims.

In a powerful victim-impact statement, one of the survivors told the court:

“You didn’t just strangle me with your hands. You strangled my voice, my joy, my ability to feel safe in my own body.”

Community members have expressed fury at what they call a “miscarriage of justice.” Many believe Butler’s lenient sentence was influenced by his family’s standing — his father previously served as the Director of Operations for Oklahoma State University’s Cowboys football team.

Following the sentencing, dozens gathered outside the courthouse in protest, demanding accountability and reform. Advocates have called for an investigation into the court’s handling of the case, arguing that wealth and influence should never determine justice.

The case has reignited national debate over sentencing disparities in sexual assault cases and the treatment of victims in the criminal justice system.