NJ youth minister convicted of child sex assault sued by teens' families
Nick Muscavage
FRANKLIN (Somerset) – A youth minister convicted of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and violating Megan's Law is being sued by two Middlesex County families alleging he "sexually molested" their children.
The lawsuits, filed by a North Brunswick family and South Brunswick family, also name as defendants John Does one through five; the General Council of the Assemblies of God; and the Eternal Life Christian Center, the Pentecostal church here where Shawn Butler served as a youth minister.
The lawsuits claim the victims were 15 and 16 years old at the time of Butler's alleged acts.
While at Eternal Life Christian Center, Butler — who lives in Hillsborough — was assigned duties which included youth counseling, pastoral care and leadership, according to the lawsuits.
The lawsuits claim the Assemblies of God – the official name of the Pentecostal denomination –and the Eternal Life Christian Center "had a duty" to supervise and control Butler's activities.
However, during his tenure with Eternal Life Christian Center from 2004 to 2014, Butler "engaged in a pattern and practice of sexually molesting children," the lawsuits claim.
He allegedly sexually molested one of the victims, identified as B.H., between April and June 2014 when she was 15 years old.
The other victim, identified as H.S., 16, was "intentionally and repeatedly sexually molested" by Butler from July 2012 to August 2013, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuits claim the children had "admiration, trust, reverence, respect for and obedience to clergy" and Eternal Life Christian Center placed Butler in a position of trust, which he then used to gain access to the minors.
Butler was sentenced in state Superior Court in Somerset County on Sept. 20 to five years in prison for violating Megan's Law in prohibited participation in a youth serving organization.
"He infiltrated the youth ministry at this church. He put himself in a position where he had unfettered access to children – children who were young and vulnerable," said Somerset County Assistant Prosecutor Kimberly Savino-French, who handled the case. "He must be deterred."
Savino-French said church officials allowed Butler to have access to the congregation's children.
"They left him alone with their children, at church, in cars and at overnight camps," she said. "They put all their trust in him to take care of their children."
The sentence came six months after Butler was sentenced in Middlesex County to five years in prison for sexual contact with a 15-year-old girl.
The sentences will be served consecutively.
EARLIER:Hillsborough youth minister sentenced for sexual contact with 15-year-old
The lawsuits claim both alleged victims were "permanently, psychologically and physically injured" because of Butler's and the other defendants' actions.
EARLIER:NJ youth minister sentenced to 5 years for violating Megan's Law
The lawsuits each allege 16 counts against the defendants, including sexual abuse, negligent entrustment, negligent hiring and training, intentional infliction of emotional distress, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and violating the Childhood Sexual Abuse Act, among others.
Butler has denied every count and asked for the complaints to be dismissed.
Staff Writer Nick Muscavage is an award-winning watchdog reporter whose work spans many topics and has spurred the creation of a state law. Contact him: 908-243-6615; ngmuscavage@gannettnj.com; @nmuscavage.