News

Harlan Man Faces Serious Charges in Child Abuse Case

A 46-year-old man from Harlan faces grave charges, including sexual abuse and drug offenses, as serious allegations unfold. With court dates approaching, the community is left in shock. Read on for the latest updates on this alarming case.

Zach Hammer

Dec 8, 2025 — 1 min read

A Harlan man, 46-year-old Michael Christopher Butler, has been arrested on multiple charges, including sexual abuse and drug offenses. The arrest occurred on November 20th, with court records revealing serious allegations against him.

Butler faces two counts of third-degree sexual abuse involving a child, a charge of lascivious acts by touching, and several drug-related charges, including distributing drugs to minors and marijuana possession. The charges originate from incidents dating back to 2019 and May 2024.

An order was issued on November 21st to restrict access to certain court records related to the case. Currently, Butler is in custody at the Cass County Jail and has a scheduled arraignment on December 22nd, followed by a pre-trial conference on January 12th and a trial set for February 3rd.

For more details on this developing story, please visit the original article: Read more here.

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