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The controversial Oklahoma Assaults case involving Jesse Mack Butler ended Monday when a Payne County judge dismissed the criminal case after Butler completed a court-ordered youthful offender rehabilitation program.

Butler, who had been accused of sexually and physically assaulting two teenage former girlfriends, avoided prison after entering no-contest pleas and receiving a sentence that was suspended under Oklahoma’s youthful offender system.

The dismissal came one day before Butler’s 19th birthday. His case had attracted national attention because of the severity of the allegations, the potential 78-year prison sentence he originally faced and the decision to allow him to complete rehabilitation outside a juvenile facility.

Other Oklahoma Assaults Victims Come Forward 

The case has also generated a continuing dispute between the victims’ families and prosecutors over how the plea agreement was handled.

Butler was arrested in March 2025 after two former girlfriends, identified in court documents as L.S. and K.S., reported allegations of sexual and physical abuse dating to 2024.

According to an arrest-warrant affidavit, L.S. told investigators that she dated Butler from January through March 2024 and alleged that he repeatedly sexually and physically assaulted her.

In one incident, L.S. alleged that Butler attempted to rape her inside a vehicle on Feb. 2, 2024. She said the alleged attack was interrupted when another woman approached the vehicle after apparently hearing her yelling and crying.

Multiple Incidents of Brutal Oklahoma Assaults by Jesse Butler

L.S. told investigators that Butler subsequently drove to his home and allegedly attempted to assault her again before she escaped. She also alleged that Butler warned her that going to police would get both of them in trouble.

Another allegation involved strangulation. L.S. told investigators that Butler strangled her until she lost consciousness after she refused to participate in sexual activity. According to the affidavit, she said Butler laughed after she regained consciousness.

Physical Abuse Included Strangulation

K.S., who dated Butler after his relationship with L.S. ended, also described multiple incidents of alleged sexual and physical abuse.

According to investigators, K.S. alleged that Butler attempted to touch her without consent at a drive-in restaurant. When she resisted, she said, he threw her to the ground, scratched her arm and laughed.

K.S. also reported two alleged strangulation incidents during the summer of 2024. In one, she said Butler strangled her until she lost consciousness while she was house-sitting. She reported another incident days later in which she alleged that Butler strangled her while recording the incident on his cellphone.

Investigators later obtained a search warrant for Butler’s phone and recovered a video dated Aug. 1, 2024, that appeared to show him strangling K.S. until she passed out, according to court filings.

K.S. also alleged that Butler dragged her by her neck and hair from her home toward a vehicle in her driveway.

Oklahoma Assaults Charges Suspended with Youthful Offender Status

Butler initially faced 10 felony charges, including attempted first-degree rape, rape by instrumentation, sexual battery, forcible oral sodomy and domestic assault and battery by strangulation. He also faced a misdemeanor domestic assault and battery charge.

A protective-order violation was later added after Butler was accused of coming within 6 feet of one of the victims at a school function, according to court records.

Butler initially pleaded not guilty.

His defense later sought youthful offender certification. The status was ultimately granted, allowing the case to proceed under Oklahoma's youthful offender system rather than resulting in conventional adult incarceration.

Butler subsequently pleaded no contest to the charges. The court imposed a potential 78-year sentence but suspended the sentence as part of the youthful offender arrangement.

Under the agreement, Butler was required to complete a rehabilitation program and comply with court supervision. He did not serve a traditional prison sentence.

KJRH reported that Butler's youthful offender arrangement included requirements such as counseling and community service, with violations potentially exposing him to the suspended sentence.

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Victims’ Families Question the Plea Agreement

The resolution has remained controversial because the victims' families say they believed Butler would plead guilty and receive treatment in a juvenile facility.

Rachel Bussett, an attorney representing K.S.'s family, told NBC News that her clients agreed to youthful offender status based on their understanding that Butler would admit guilt and receive some form of inpatient treatment.

Instead, Butler entered no-contest pleas and completed the rehabilitation requirements at home.

Bussett said the victims' families were not expecting the agreement to end with Butler avoiding incarceration altogether.

Defense Maintains Innocence in Butler's Oklahoma Assaults

Butler's attorney, Derek Chance, disputed the characterization of the case. He told The Oklahoman that the defense-maintained Butler's innocence at the final hearing and entered the plea as a form of risk management.

The dispute has led the victims' families to consider additional legal action. Bussett said they planned to file a civil lawsuit against Butler and his family.

Where Is Jesse Butler Now?

Butler is not in jail or prison. His youthful offender supervision ended when the Payne County judge dismissed the case Monday, Aug. 3, 2026, after determining that Butler had completed the required rehabilitation plan.

Before the dismissal, Butler had been living under the conditions of his youthful offender program rather than serving a prison sentence. Earlier reporting indicated that he was prohibited from attending Stillwater Public Schools or school events and was subject to supervision and rehabilitation requirements.

Federal Review of Oklahoma Assaults Still Pending

The dismissal means the state criminal case has now ended at the state level. However, Payne and Logan counties District Attorney Jeremiah Gregory said his office intends to refer the matter to federal prosecutors for review.

Gregory said he could not undo the previous resolution but would continue advocating for victims of violent crime. Because a federal review is only a referral at this point, it does not mean federal charges have been filed against Butler.

Meanwhile, Butler's defense attorney has said he plans to seek expungement of Butler's record.

The new district attorney's decision to refer the case to federal authorities adds another potential chapter to a case that has already generated legal challenges and public protests.

Marsy's Law

Earlier in 2026, one of the victims challenged the handling of the plea agreement under Oklahoma's Marsy's Law, which establishes constitutional rights for crime victims. A Payne County judge later ruled against the victims' claim after an evidentiary hearing.

The latest development does not erase the allegations described in the original police reports or the no-contest pleas entered by Butler. It does, however, bring the state criminal proceedings to an end unless a separate legal development changes that status.

The case continues to raise questions about how Oklahoma's youthful offender laws are applied to teenagers accused of serious violent and sexual offenses, how victims are included in plea negotiations and what options remain after a youthful offender successfully completes a court-ordered program.

More Information

• The Oklahoman — Jesse Butler case coverage
• KJRH — Payne County judge rules in Jesse Butler case
• KOCO — Jesse Butler plea deal and court challenge
• RAINN — National Sexual Assault Hotline
• RAINN — Get Help and Online Support