South Bend cop accused of sexual abuse of student in Mishawaka school, his truck, her home
Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly characterized a witness' statement that her friend told her in September that she wanted Butler to do "sexual stuff" with her. The Tribune regrets the error.
SOUTH BEND — Prosecutors lay out more of their case against South Bend Police Officer Rico E. Butler in court documents charging him with two counts of child seduction. Butler was arrested Saturday by St. Joseph County police, according to a press release from the South Bend Police Department.
The Department of Child Services received an anonymous report on Feb. 29 accusing Butler of a sexual relationship with a girl at a school he worked at in Mishawaka. He's accused of having sex with the girl inside the school, at her home when her mother was out, and in his vehicles, including his squad car.
Butler, a 27-year-old, was working part time as a school resource officer and a basketball coach at a Mishawaka school where the girl he's accused of seducing attends. Police say Butler told them he started at the beginning of the school year, and while he does not have certification as a school resource officer, he provides a safety presence for the school.
In court documents, police claim Butler and the girl had regular communication on the social media platform Snapchat after she saw Butler on the school’s boy’s basketball team’s Snapchat and added him.
Investigators interviewed the girl, and they claim she indicated Butler was like a mentor to her, regularly checking in on her at school. Prosecutors claim that though the girl was initially reluctant to confirm a sexual relationship between herself and Butler, she ultimately did say that he “touched” her once in December of 2023. Prosecutors claim the girl said Butler gave her a ride home from basketball practice and, upon reaching her home, touched her in a private area.
Investigators report finding out about the abuse after the teen confided in a friend about her relationship with Butler. Prosecutors allege the witness said Butler would tell the student that she had a “glow up,” was pretty and, in September, the girl told her friend she wanted Butler to do “sexual stuff” with her.
A tipster reportedly told investigators Butler first had intercourse with the then-17-year-old student in one of the school's classrooms in September 2023, saying the girl told her friend that Butler had bought her “Plan B” birth control. Investigators claim the girl told her friend about eight different occasions of sex between them.
Police claim Butler admitted to having intercourse with the student on two to three separate occasions and had other sexual relations an additional two to three times from late 2023 up until about three weeks ago.
Police claim Butler admitted to sexual relations with the girl in her home while her mother was at work and also in his personal truck parked outside of her home.
Police say Butler denied having sex in his squad car, but when shown a video appearing to depict the pair having sex in his squad car, Butler allegedly admitted it was his voice and his squad car, though he still said they never had sex in his squad car.
The tipster also provided screenshots of Snapchat messages allegedly exchanged between Butler and the victim. The exchanges include sexually explicit messages.
The South Bend Police Department continues to work with the prosecutor’s office and Special Victims Unit on this investigation.
Butler, a sworn officer since 2022, has been relieved of duty pending further criminal and internal investigations, a police press release said.
This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: Cop accused of sexual abuse of student in school, his truck, her home
