Marc H. Silverman, the Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Gregory Butts, age 54, has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison followed by 15 years of supervised release. This sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport for child exploitation offenses and threats.
Court documents reveal that in April 2016, Butts was convicted in Connecticut state court for illegal sexual contact with a child. In November 2020, following the disappearance of two juveniles in Colorado, friends and family posted information on social media to solicit public help. Butts, concealing his phone number, contacted the number provided. He spoke to a woman associated with the missing juveniles, claiming to have had sexual contact with them and threatening harm if the call was recorded or authorities were alerted. Butts also demanded sexual intercourse from the woman in exchange for the juveniles' return. The juveniles were ultimately unharmed and returned home safely, not having been kidnapped.
The investigation traced the call to Sprague, Connecticut, where Butts, a registered sex offender on probation, resided. After his voice was identified by a probation officer from a recording, a search of his residence recovered a computer and storage devices containing over 10,000 images and videos of child pornography. Forensic examinations also revealed Butts' engagement in sexually explicit conversations with minors via social media, where he issued numerous threats and solicited explicit images.
Butts has been in custody since March 4, 2022, and pled guilty to possession of child pornography on January 17, 2025. The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in New Haven, Connecticut, and Loveland, Colorado, with support from Connecticut state authorities.
This case is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which focuses on protecting children from sexual exploitation. "This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood Initiative," Silverman explained.
Acting U.S. Attorney Silverman expressed his appreciation to the New London State’s Attorney’s Office for their cooperation in this matter.
For more details on Project Safe Childhood, visit www.justice.gov/psc. To report child exploitation, go to www.cybertipline.com.