A former West Virginia police sergeant has been indicted on charges of having a sexual relationship with a student during his time as a school resource officer.
Christopher Chad Butler, who resigned a month after the investigation began last year, was also indicted on a gross neglect charge for allowing a child to brandish a pistol recklesslessly in September 2023, WVVA reported.
The child sex indictment alleges that Butler had sex with a student while he was on duty at Princeton Senior High School between August 2023 and January 2024.
Princeton Chief of Police John Howell said Butler was placed on administrative leave before his resignation.
“I just want everybody to know that the department and myself we have cooperated 100 percent with this investigation and we will continue to do so. The department and myself, we do not condone this type of activity. We never have and never will,” Howell said.
The case is being handled in a neighboring county to avoid the appearance of conflict of interest. The sex crime charge is sexual abuse by a person in a position of trust.
The FBI is also involved in the investigation and is looking to see if there are additional victims.
According to the Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Butler was named officer of the year of the Princeton Police Department in 2017.
