A former elementary school teacher in Fresno is facing serious charges of sexual abuse involving young students. In a court hearing on Thursday, two former students described disturbing incidents where they were allegedly made to sit on the teacher’s lap and were inappropriately touched during class.
Aaron Butler, 56, appeared in court without bail, and the prosecution laid out accusations of lewd acts involving five girls over a span of three years.
He is facing a total of nine charges relating to incidents that allegedly occurred between August 2014 and June 2017.
All the alleged victims were under 14 years old at the time of the incidents.
During the preliminary hearing, two teenage girls shared their emotional experiences from Butler’s classroom at Lane Elementary School in southeast Fresno.
One student recounted how Butler invited her to stay and color during recess. She said that after the other kids left, he had her bring her things to his desk and sit on his lap, leading to inappropriate contact.
Another witness described similar behavior, expressing discomfort and uncertainty during the incidents. “I didn’t really know how to react or what to do. He would do it while he was teaching; it felt like no one noticed,” she mentioned.
This same student also recalled a moment where Butler allegedly picked her up and threw her during class, leading to physical injury. “It was just a regular school day. He just picked me up and threw me around,” she said, noting that she fell and hurt her jaw during the incident.
Butler had over two decades of service with Fresno Unified before being fired following his arrest at Gibson Elementary School in December 2020.
The case will proceed as more witnesses are called and evidence is presented, with a judge set to determine if the case goes to trial. If found guilty on all counts, Butler could face a lengthy prison sentence.
