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 (FTC) 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 and evidence presented during trial show that on June 4, 2023, Butler entered another inmate’s cell at the FTC and sexually assaulted him while holding a shank to the victim’s neck and side. At the time of the assault, Butler was already serving a 125-month sentence for being a felon in possession of a firearm after his conviction in Minnesota federal court.
A federal Grand Jury indicted Butler on July 17, 2024, charging him with 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, consecutive to his current term, and imposed ten years of supervised release following incarceration. In delivering the sentence, Judge Wyrick cited both the severity of the offense and Butler’s criminal history.
The case was investigated by the Special Investigative Service of the Federal Bureau of Prisons and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tiffany Edgmon and Brandon Hale.
Additional details can be found in public court filings.