Woman Says Cop Raped Her, Calls Case A Cover-Up In NJ: Lawyer

MANTUA, NJ — A former Mantua Police Lieutenant sexually assaulted a woman in a case that was portrayed as an "affair" or consensual, according to her legal team.

Shaun Butler, 46, of Mantua, was convicted on Oct. 15 by a jury on charges that included one count of second-degree official misconduct after the woman's husband found the two together in their home.

"H.H.," as she is referred to for privacy reasons, said she was "so intoxicated that she was incapable of providing meaningful consent and has no memory of the alleged assault," Katrina M. Register, Esquire, said.

"These allegations raise serious questions concerning the handling of records, the conduct of law enforcement officials, and the responsibility of public institutions when allegations of sexual assault involve one of their own officers," Register added.

In her civil complaint, the woman alleged that the Township and other defendants engaged in a conspiracy to cover up what really happened by labeling it as a "domestic violence matter."

According to court filings, H.H. was with co-workers and friends at Villari's Lakeside bar in Sicklerville on Sept. 11, 2021, to celebrate as first responders.

Lieutenant Butler, who the woman had talked to prior to that evening regarding her dog in a different case, was at the bar and talking to her and her friends.

H.H. became intoxicated after she drank a 32-ounce mango bucket with three types of liquor and orange juice, along with other alcohol that night, the complaint stated.

Butler, who was off-duty, volunteered to be the designated driver and take her and her friends back to her home in Mantua.

H.H. told her friends, who also planned to stay over due to intoxication, that she was going to sleep and changed into her pajamas.

During the early morning hours, Butler then raped her in her bedroom, according to court records.

Her husband got home at around 1 a.m. from Cape May and found them while Butler wasn't wearing any pants.

He then defended himself after Butler physically confronted him in the doorway.

Shortly thereafter, another officer arrived in his living room and pointed his service weapon at the woman's husband. He was then handcuffed and put in the back of a police car against his will for at least 30 minutes, the complaint stated.

On the next day, Sept. 13, 2021, he went to the Township of Mantua to get police reports and body camera footage after feeling that "something suspicious was going on with the police officers."

He was denied any footage or information, court filings said.

Butler, along with his duties as Lieutenant, was the officer in charge of Internal Affairs for the department at the time and was the direct supervisor of four officers that responded to the home.

During the following days, Butler went into restricted law enforcement databases using his access through Mantua Police in order to read the officers' reports.

This, authorities said, was in despite of warnings that the resource was only to be used for valid law enforcement reasons.

According to the complaint, Butler spoke to H.H. and said they had sex after he knew she was highly intoxicated. He also told her that her husband went to the police station to request open public records and file a complaint.

In these discussions over the phone and in messages, he told her that he can use his confidential access to adjust the case and prevent both of their embarrassment.

On Sept. 16, 2021, he went in and adjusted the subordinate officer's report with additional details that were attributed to that subordinate officer.

"Justice is not served when a sexual assault survivor's allegations are reduced to an 'affair'...she deserves to have her allegations accurately reported, not minimized or rewritten," Register said.

Patch has reached out to both the Gloucester County Prosecutor's Office and Mantua Township Police Department for comment and is yet to hear back.

Sentencing for Butler's conviction on one count of second-degree official misconduct, one count of third-degree computer crimes involving unauthorized access, and one count of third-degree computer crimes involving access and disclosure is scheduled for Dec. 4.

He faces a maximum of 10 years in jail for the second-degree charge and a maximum of five years in jail for each third-degree offense.

Register and her legal team are currently pursuing civil litigation as well in this case.

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