British man sentenced for exploiting Oregon girls on Snapchat

A British man was given a 20-year sentence in federal prison on Tuesday for using the social media app Snapchat to sexually exploit two young Oregon girls and coming to the US with the intention of having sex with one of them.

Following his arrest in London in July 2022 on charges of possessing child pornography and enticing a minor online, Liam Stuart Butler was out of custody and under pretrial supervision at the time of the crimes. Following his arrest in England, he was freed from detention on the stipulation that he not communicate with anyone younger than sixteen.

According to a government document, Butler first connected with the Oregon girls online when they were 10 and 14. According to a federal affidavit and his plea deal, he used communication with the adolescent from January 2020 to June 1, 2021, and with the younger victim from December 2021 to spring 2023, persuading both to give him sexually explicit photos and videos.

Federal prosecutor Mira Chernick said Butler, now 30, served as a private in the British Army reserves between the ages of 21 and 27.

In the affidavit, Homeland Security Investigations agent Clinton Lindsly stated that British officials had notified Oregon State Police of the Oregon claims in November 2022 but had not received a response.

When a Homeland Security Investigations colleague in London notified Lindsly that Butler had been reported missing there in March 2023, Lindsly took the case further. According to the affidavit, British investigators discovered that Butler had left a note stating that he was traveling to the United States and intended to commit suicide so that no one would discover him.

He was last seen by his family on March 26, 2023, and was reported missing from the southern English seaside town of Weymouth.

A day later, Lindsly discovered that Butler had arrived at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York. Along with identifying the two Oregon females, the agent spoke with one of them, who informed him that she was aware Butler was going to the United States and that she intended to meet her at a Canby park the week of April 5, 2023.

According to the affidavit, the agent discovered Butler was traveling to Arizona by train after assuming the girl’s identity on her Snapchat channel.

Butler was taken into custody by federal investigators in Colorado on April 1, 2023.

Butler entered a guilty plea to two counts of child sexual exploitation in federal court in Portland in February.

According to Megha Desai, his assistant federal public defender, Butler is deeply ashamed of his actions and the suffering and grief he has inflicted on his victims. In order to spare the girls more suffering, he decided to enter a plea to the charges and forego a trial, according to Desai.

She stated he intends to go back to his home in England after serving his term.

U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson consented to suggest that Butler complete his sentence at a federal prison in Seagoville, Texas, where he can receive therapy, at Desai’s request.

— Maxine Bernstein writes about criminal justice and federal courts. 503-221-8212, mbernstein@oregonian.com, X@maxoregonian, Bluesky@maxbernstein.bsky.social, and LinkedIn are some of her contact details.