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Newly released video shows cops cuffing teen linked to violent sex assault scandal that has families fuming

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Newly released video shows cops cuffing teen linked to violent sex assault scandal that has families fuming

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A newly released body-camera video shows the arrest of a teen accused of violent sex assaults in a case now drawing backlash after he received no jail time under Oklahoma’s youthful-offender law.

The teen, Jesse Butler, was 17 when he was arrested. He later pleaded no contest to multiple felony counts, including attempted first-degree rape, sexual battery and assault by strangulation. 

His 78-year sentence was fully suspended under the youthful-offender statute, allowing him to remain free if he meets court-ordered rehabilitation terms. Victims’ families have publicly criticized the outcome. A mother of one of the victims told KOCO the justice system “failed” her daughter.

“As a mom, I never thought I’d have to watch my daughter fight this kind of battle, one where she had to prove she was the victim, over and over again, while the system made excuse after excuse for the person who hurt her.”

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FAMILIES OUTRAGED AFTER HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT IN VIOLENT SEX ASSAULT CASES AVOIDS PRISON AS YOUTHFUL OFFENDER

Officers move in to arrest 17-year-old Jesse Butler as his mother looks on. (Stillwater Police Department)

The newly released video shows Butler’s seemingly calm arrest at a home in Stillwater. His mother was seen walking to the front door, telling officers, “We’re ready to tell our story too,” before knocking and calling out to her son to open the door.

In the video, officers informed Butler that there was a warrant for his arrest and that he would be taken to the Stillwater Police Department for processing.

Butler, who appeared to be holding back tears, listened quietly as officers explained the purpose of their visit.

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“Yeah, so we’re here, we’re obviously going to place you under arrest, there’s a warrant for your arrest… we are going to take you to the jail… I do have to put you in handcuffs, so turn around for me,” one officer said. 

“You have to put him in handcuffs?” Butler’s mother asked. 

The officer continued and told the teen, “You shouldn’t be there very long,” adding, “There is just a process for paperwork and stuff.”

Butler’s mother could be heard throughout the clip reassuring her son and mentioning family members and contacts already involved in his case.

ATTEMPTED MURDER SUSPECT WITH FOUR PRIOR CASES WALKS FREE ON $9.5K BOND AFTER BRUTAL TRAIL ATTACK

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Police body camera video shows officers placing Jesse Butler in handcuffs during his arrest. Butler, a high school student in a violent sexual assault case, was later sentenced as a youthful offender — avoiding prison time. (Stillwater Police Department)

“I’ll get you out,” she says. “All right, stay silent. Rick knows about this, Candy’s on this, Dad’s on his way. We’re coming to get you, OK? Stay strong. Say your prayers.”

Jesse Butler’s father, Mack Butler, is the former director of football operations at Oklahoma State University, located in Stillwater.

The exchange remained calm throughout. Officers did not raise their voices, and Butler appeared cooperative as he was handcuffed and escorted out. One officer clarified that Butler was being taken to the Stillwater Police Department, not the county jail, to avoid confusion about his location.

“Awful experience for a child,” Butler’s mom said as officers walked him to the police car. “Later, Jess, see you in a bit.” 

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EX-OFFICER SENTENCED FOLLOWING ARREST FOR GROPING ONLYFANS STAR IN VIDEO WHILE ON DUTY

Body cam video captures the moment Jesse Butler is cuffed by police while his mother watches nearby. (Stillwater Police Department)

The Stillwater Police Department said officers were first notified Sept. 12, 2024, of incidents that reportedly took place earlier that year.

“A full investigation was initiated the following day that resulted in SPD submitting the case to the Payne County District Attorney’s Office, where it was reviewed and charges were filed,” the department said in a statement.

At the time, Butler was a student in Stillwater Public Schools. Court records obtained by KOCO include several emotional victim impact statements describing lasting fear and trauma.

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“You didn’t just strangle me with your hands — you strangled my voice, my joy, my ability to feel safe in my own body,” one victim wrote.

VICTIM’S GIRLFRIEND AMONG 9 TEENS ARRESTED IN 16-YEAR-OLD’S BEACH TOWN MURDER

Jesse Butler pictured in a baseball uniform before the criminal allegations came to light. (Risin Baseball)

A police affidavit reviewed by Fox News details brutal acts, including a girlfriend who said she was repeatedly raped and strangled if she refused, and a doctor warned she would have died in one instance if the strangulation lasted seconds longer.

The Payne County District Attorney’s Office has said the decision to handle the case under Oklahoma’s youthful-offender law was based on Butler being 17 at the time of the alleged offenses. The office emphasized the statute “allows the court to maintain supervision until the defendant’s 19th birthday and gives him a chance for rehabilitation while still holding him accountable.”

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In its statement, the DA’s office also wrote that the law “does not erase the crimes or minimize their impact.”

Rep. Justin “JJ” Humphrey (R-Okla.) called the ruling “unacceptable” and announced plans to petition for a grand jury review.

“If that don’t set you on fire, your wood’s wet,” Humphrey told Fox News Digital. “You know what I mean? You’ve got a bad deal. That sets me on fire.”

Court documents show Butler remains bound by a sentence issued Aug. 25, 2025, contingent on full compliance with a state-supervised rehabilitation plan.

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While Butler was sentenced to a total of 78 years, the sentence is suspended under Oklahoma’s youthful offender program, meaning he will not serve prison time unless he violates the program’s conditions.

He remains under Office of Juvenile Affairs supervision until his 19th birthday, subject to counseling, therapy, more than 100 hours of community service, a curfew, no social media, daily check-ins and weekly counseling, according to documents obtained by Fox News. 

If Butler fulfills the terms of the program and avoids further legal trouble, he can remain out of prison, though any violation could result in the full sentence being enforced.

His next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 8 in Payne County District Court.

Fox News’ Brooke Taylor contributed to this report. 

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Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.

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Southwest

Republican senators hit border, touting tougher security and tax cuts, in 2026 kickoff

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Republican senators hit border, touting tougher security and tax cuts, in 2026 kickoff

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Aiming to not only hold but expand their 53-47 majority in November’s midterm elections, top Senate Republicans are showcasing the plummeting rates of border crossings during a stop Friday at the nation’s southern border with Mexico.

And the group, led by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, is also highlighting how President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers are “putting more money in Americans’ pockets.”

The stop at the border, hosted by One Nation, a nonprofit outside group closely aligned with Thune, is seen as an unofficial kickoff by Senate Republicans ahead of the midterms to tout the sweeping “One Big, Beautiful Bill Act,” Trump’s signature domestic achievement last year that was passed nearly entirely along party lines in the GOP controlled Congress.

At the event at the border, which was a regular stop for Republicans amid the surge in border crossings during then-President Joe Biden’s administration, the GOP senators are teaming up with members of the National Border Patrol Council. And they are highlighting how the passage of the domestic policy measure “secured transformational border security funding,” according to One Nation.

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THUNE PREVIEWS SENATE REPUBLICANS’ MIDTERM MESSAGE 

Senate Majority Leader John Thune and fellow Senate Republicans speak to reporters at an event at the nation’s southern border with Mexico, on Jan. 9, 2026. (One Nation)

“This is a remarkable, remarkable difference in just a year,” Thune said at the event. “It’s been an incredible year of progress when it comes to the southern border and the American people are experiencing the benefit of that in the form of having safer streets and safer communities and safer neighborhoods.”

But with Democrats enjoying decisive victories and overperformances in the 2025 elections and in a slew of special elections and other ballot box showdowns last year, which were fueled by their laser focus on affordability amid persistent inflation, the Republican senators are also using Friday’s trip to spotlight the tax cut and energy policy provisions in the bill, which they rebranded as the “Working Families Tax Cut.”

“The Working Families Tax Cut will make buying groceries more affordable for working Americans this year,” the Senate Republicans touted on social media on the eve of the border stop. “Every Democrat voted against it.”

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DOUBLING DOWN: TOP HOUSE DEMOCRAT SAYS FOCUS ON HIGH PRICES ‘ABSOLUTELY GOING TO CONTINUE’

And they also highlighted that “Senate Republicans have worked closely with President Trump to lower energy prices and make life more affordable — and the results speak for themselves.”

Thune, at the border, pointed to the tax cut provisions in the GOP measure, including no tax on tips and overtime and reduced rates for seniors on Social Security, along with “the jobs that are going to be created by the pro-growth policies that we put in place….are going to lead us to a place where the American people are seeing their incomes go up.”

But Democrats see the cost of living as their winning issue heading into the midterms.

“If the Republican agenda actually made life more affordable for working Americans, then they wouldn’t be desperately flailing as families struggle to afford groceries, health care, and housing,” Lauren French, communications director at Senate Majority PAC, the top Senate Democrat-aligned outside group, told Fox News Digital. “Instead of focusing on working people, Trump and Senate Republicans are focused on bringing chaos and instability into our communities.”

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., holds a political and policy event Friday at the nation’s southern border with Mexico. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

Joining Thune, the longtime senator from South Dakota, at the border is Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, number two in Senate Republican leadership.

There are also Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, who faces a bruising GOP primary showdown in March against challengers Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Rep. Wesley Hunt; and Republican Sens. Jon Husted of Ohio and Ashley Moody of Florida, who were appointed last year and will face voters this November.

HEALTHCARE, ECONOMY AND THE ‘ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’: WELCOME TO THE MIDTERMS

GOP Sens. Pete Ricketts of Nebraska and Mike Rounds of South Dakota, who are up for re-election this year, are also on the trip, as are former Rep. Mike Rogers and former Republican National Committee chair Mike Whatley, the GOP Senate candidates in battlegrounds Michigan and North Carolina who are backed by Thune and the National Republican Senatorial Committee.

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“We’re seeing signs already that the economy is starting to tick up and is starting to take hold as the President’s policies are getting in place,” Whatley argued last month in a Fox News Digital interview. “We need to make sure that we have the trade policies, the tax policies, the regulatory policies from this administration that are going to help our small businesses, our manufacturers and our farmers across North Carolina.”

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But Democrats are energized as the midterm year begins, as they continue to keep their focus on the issue of affordability.

“Donald Trump has lost the economy, is losing his mind, and is going to lose the midterms,” Democratic National Committee chair Ken Martin claimed in a recent statement.

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Southwest

Body found during search for missing Texas teen Camila Mendoza Olmos as another teen girl disappears

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Body found during search for missing Texas teen Camila Mendoza Olmos as another teen girl disappears

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A body was found Tuesday evening as authorities in Bexar County, Texas, grapple with a series of disappearances involving teen girls who all went missing within a week.

The body was found during the search for 19-year-old Camila Olmos, though police said it is too early to determine whether the remains belong to her.

Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said during a news conference that investigators had “just recently found a body in a field” around 4:40 to 4:45 p.m., adding that the medical examiner will determine both the identity of the body and the cause and manner of death.

The body was found by a joint team of sheriff’s deputies and FBI agents in an area of tall grass near a landscaping business, a few hundred yards from Olmos’ home, according to Salazar.

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MISSING CAMILA MENDOZ OLMOS: DASHCAM CAPTURES LAST SIGHTING OF TEXAS TEEN WHO VANISHED CHRISTMAS EVE

Camila Olmos was reported missing on Christmas Eve. (Bexar County Sheriff)

A firearm was recovered near the body, which authorities said had been an item of interest during the search.

Salazar said investigators do not currently suspect murder and noted there were indicators consistent with possible self-harm, though he stressed it is too early to draw conclusions while the scene is still being processed.

Olmos was last seen leaving her home in far northwest Bexar County around 7 a.m. on Dec. 24, authorities said. Her case came as two other girls were reported missing in the area. Fourteen-year-old Sofia Gabriela Peters-Cobos has since been found safe, while 17-year-old Angelique Johnson remains missing, according to police.

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Law enforcement has said there is no confirmed connection between the cases.

MISSING CAMILA MENDOZ OLMOS: DASHCAM CAPTURES LAST SIGHTING OF TEXAS TEEN WHO VANISHED CHRISTMAS EVE

Angelique Johnson, from San Antonio, Texas, was reported missing. (Bexar County Sheriff’s Office)

Texas Department of Public Safety said the Clear Alert for Olmos has been discontinued, though authorities urged anyone with information related to the cases or the whereabouts of Angelique Johnson to contact the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.

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The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and the San Antonio Police Department did not respond immediately to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Greg Norman and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

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Former GOP Sen Jon Kyl announces dementia diagnosis, steps away from public life

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Former GOP Sen Jon Kyl announces dementia diagnosis, steps away from public life

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Former Republican Sen. Jon Kyl announced on Tuesday he is withdrawing from public life after being diagnosed with dementia.

Kyl, 83, became one of Arizona’s most prominent Republicans during a career that spanned nearly three decades across both chambers of Congress, including a stint as Senate minority whip.

“I was blessed to represent the people of Arizona in Congress and to have numerous other opportunities to contribute to the political and civic life of our nation and state,” Kyl said in a statement. “However, the time has come for me to withdraw from public life. I have been diagnosed with a neurological disease manifesting as dementia.”

Kyl represented Arizona’s 4th Congressional District in the House from 1987 to 1995 before serving in the U.S. Senate from 1995 to 2013.

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DAVID MARCUS: BEN SASSE IS DYING, BUT HIS LETTER TO AMERICA WILL LIVE FOREVER

Former Arizona Republican Senator Jon Kyl announced on Tuesday he is withdrawing from public life after being diagnosed with dementia. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

After leaving the Senate, Kyl joined the lobbying firm Covington and Burling, before being appointed in 2018 by then-Gov. Doug Ducey to fill the vacancy caused by the death of former Sen. John McCain.

Kyl held the seat for several months in the Senate before rejoining the firm in 2019, where he helped guide the confirmation of Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The longtime Arizona lawmaker described himself as “a very fortunate man” despite the diagnosis.

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FORMER COLORADO SEN. BEN NIGHTHORSE CAMPBELL DEAD AT 92

Former Arizona Republican Sen. Jon Kyl, left, and Bruce Babbitt, right, former Arizona Republican governor and secretary of the Interior, wave to the crowd as they are recognized during Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey’s state of the state address Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, in Phoenix. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

“My family and I now head down a path filled with moments of joy and increasing difficulties,” he stated. “I am grateful beyond expression for their love and support, in these coming days as in all the days of my life.”

Kyl moved to Arizona as an 18-year-old freshman to attend the University of Arizona, where he met his wife.

The university said Kyl devoted more than two decades to public service, leaving a lasting impact on water policy, national defense and intelligence.

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“His leadership, integrity, and commitment to service reflect the highest ideals of public life,” the university said in a statement.

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Former Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., announced he is withdrawing from public life after being diagnosed with dementia. (Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., said Kyl gave “decades of his life” serving Arizona, adding that he’s grateful for the former GOP senator’s “commitment to our state and country.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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