A Villager has been charged with pressuring his wife to get a charge against him dropped after an alleged attack.
Kevin James Butler, 57, of the Village of Santo Domingo was arrested on a charge of battery March 27 by Sumter County sheriff’s deputies. Butler allegedly struck his wife in the face, leaving her with a slightly swollen lip and a minor cut on her inner lip.
It was later discovered that Butler called her a few hours after his arrest and apparently pressured to her to “go in front of a judge and tell him it’s a big misunderstanding,” according to an arrest report. He asked her who would pay the bills if he was in jail. He made the call from the Sumter County Detention Center and the conversation was recorded.
When Butler was questioned by deputies, he said he made the call “because he had no one to turn to and needed help bonding out,” the report said. The New York native claimed he simply wanted to let his wife “know what her options were.” As a result of the call, Butler is facing a felony charge of obstructing justice.
In a form filed with the court, Butler indicated he is not employed and is seeking representation from the public defender’s office. It appears he inherited his home on Madero Drive from his parents.
Due to the second charge, Butler continues to be held without bond at the jail.
