Walton Man Among 205 Offenders Arrested in FBI Crackdown

On May 7, 2025, an announcement was made by the United States Department of Justice Northern District of New York with details and results of the recent 'Operation Restore Justice' effort.

This enforcement was designed to identify, track, and arrest child sex predators. As a result, 115 children have been rescued and 205 offenders have been arrested throughout this nationwide search.

'Operation Restore Justice' was conducted over five days through all 55 FBI field offices, along with the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, and United States Attorney’s Offices around the country.

Every child deserves to grow up free from fear and exploitation, and the FBI will continue to be relentless in our pursuit of those who exploit the most vulnerable among us. Operation Restore Justice proves that no predator is out of reach and no child will be forgotten. By leveraging the strength of all our field offices and our federal, state, and local partners, we’re sending a clear message: there is no place to hide for those who prey on children. - FBI Director Kash Patel

Several offenders were arrested and charged throughout the Northern District of New York State, including Walton, New Paltz, Pine Plains, Watervliet, and Scotia, New York. In addition, offenders also arrested were from Riverside, California, a Brazilian citizen residing in Schenectady, and a citizen of the United Kingdom.

According to the Department of Justice report, Jerry Butler III of Walton, New York, used a social messaging application to request and receive sexually explicit content from a minor. He faces at least 15 years in prison. The DOJ believes that Butler III was involved in the "764" network, whose members seek to corrupt and exploit vulnerable populations, including minors.

Operation Restore Justice represents our unwavering commitment to ridding our communities of child sex abusers. Last week I joined the FBI in Delaware County as they arrested one of these defendants, and I saw firsthand the hard work and dedication of the agents and task force officers working these cases. I am also proud to say that my Office accepted every one of the cases presented to us for prosecution. - U.S. Attorney John Sarcone III

Those arrested around the country are alleged to have committed various crimes, including the production, distribution, and possession of child sexual abuse material, online enticement and transportation of minors, and child sex trafficking.

The DOJ notes that these cases are a part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit the DOJ website.