Joseph Francis Butler, a 35-year-old inmate from Illinois, has been sentenced to an additional 30 years in federal prison for aggravated sexual abuse committed at the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.
“Incarceration in a federal prison does not negate the protection of inmates from sexual or violent assaults by other inmates,” said U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester. “This sentence for Mr. Butler to serve an additional three decades in prison sends a clear message that serious consequences await those who prey on fellow inmates.”
Court records show that on June 4, 2023, Butler entered another inmate’s cell and sexually assaulted him while threatening the victim with a shank to his neck and side. At the time of the incident, Butler was already serving a 125-month sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm after his conviction in Minnesota.
A federal Grand Jury indicted Butler on July 17, 2024, for aggravated sexual abuse. Following a four-day trial, he was found guilty by a jury on March 14, 2025.
U.S. District Judge Patrick R. Wyrick sentenced Butler to serve an additional 360 months in prison, which will run consecutively to his current sentence. After completing his prison term, Butler will be subject to ten years of supervised release. Judge Wyrick cited the severity of the offense and Butler’s criminal history during sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ Special Investigative Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Edgmon and Brandon Hale.
Additional information can be found in public court filings.
