A former elementary school teacher in Fresno, California, is facing multiple criminal counts related to accusations of lewd acts involving five young students. Aaron Butler, 56, appeared in court as prosecutors presented testimony from two former students who described alleged inappropriate physical contact and other misconduct.
The charges against Butler stem from alleged incidents occurring between August 2014 and June 2017, when he was employed by Fresno Unified. Prosecutors have outlined nine criminal counts, alleging lewd and lascivious acts against children who were all under the age of 14 at the time.
During a preliminary hearing, two teenage girls who formerly attended Lane Elementary School provided courtroom testimony. One student stated that Butler invited her to stay in the classroom during recess to color. According to her testimony, she was then asked to sit on his lap at his desk, where the alleged inappropriate touching occurred. This same witness also recounted an incident where Butler allegedly injured her by throwing her during school hours.
The second former student described a similar pattern of behavior, testifying that she felt uncomfortable and unsure how to react to Butler's actions. She stated that the teacher's conduct occurred while he was teaching, leading her to believe that no one would suspect anything unusual.
Butler had a tenure of more than 20 years with Fresno Unified before his employment concluded following his arrest in December 2020. The case is ongoing, with the judge set to determine if sufficient evidence warrants a trial.
If convicted of all counts, Butler could face a maximum prison sentence of up to 150 years.
