Mistrial declared in former detention officer’s sex crime trial

Following two days of trial and deliberations into Tuesday evening, a Comanche County jury reached an impasse in determining the fate of a former Comanche County Detention officer accused of sexually assaulting a female inmate while he was on the job.

Kevin Warren Buttler, 50, of Lawton, was on trial in Comanche County District Judge Jay Walker’s courtroom for a felony count of forcible sodomy, records indicate. He was originally charged with second-degree rape before charges were amended in March.

With a hung jury, a mistrial was declared. Buttler is ordered to appear at the next sounding of the jury trial docket at 9 a.m. June 24, records indicate.

Buttler was arrested in August 2022 following an Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation investigation following the inmate’s reporting of the incident.

The inmate told investigators Buttler came into her cell to deliver lunch and while inside her cell, he unzipped his pants and motioned for her to come over to him and perform a sexual act, the OSBI stated. She said she was performing the sexual act for about five seconds when Buttler heard a noise and zipped up his pants, according to the probable cause affidavit. The inmate’s cellmate was present during the incident.

Buttler remains free on $15,000 bond.