It was while the students were on his lap that he is accused of molesting them, said prosecutor Brian Exline.<\/p>\n
One of the students, who is now 17 years old, testified that the first time Butler asked her to sit on his lap she did not think it was odd.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt seemed pretty normal,\u201d the former student said, adding that her family is very \u201chuggy.\u201d<\/p>\n
But one day in 2017 that all changed. The student testified that Butler offered her the chance to stay in the classroom during recess to color, an activity she loved to do. She agreed and as the students filtered out of the room, Butler asked her to bring her coloring supplies to his desk and sit on his lap, she testified.<\/p>\n
She did and that\u2019s when Butler is accused of putting his hand down her pants, she testified. He moved his right hand over underwear and over her vagina, she testified as she started to cry.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started to push his hands away, but he said shush and told me it was OK,\u201d the former student said. \u201cHe didn\u2019t stop, and I was scared because there was nobody there to help me.\u201d<\/p>\n
She got off his lap after telling him she wanted to go outside and get a snack. She left the room and did not return until recess was over.<\/p>\n
The student accused Butler of assaulting her more than 10 times during the school year.<\/p>\n
Butler\u2019s defense attorney, Jeffery Hammerschmidt, tried to understand why she and the other former student who testified against Butler did not tell anyone about what happened.<\/p>\n
A second student who testified Thursday, who is also now 17, said the first time Butler touched her inner thigh and held his hand there she was shocked. She was 8 years old and didn\u2019t even sit on her father\u2019s lap, she testified.<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t know what to do. I felt uncomfortable, but I didn\u2019t know how to react or what to say,\u201d the second student testified.<\/p>\n
She said Butler would have other female students sit on his lap during class. His desk shielded the lower half of his body, so students couldn\u2019t see where his hands were, she testified.<\/p>\n
Prosecutor Exline said Butler\u2019s maximum prison sentence could be up to 150 years, if he is convicted of all 10 counts.<\/p>\n
The former teacher who taught at Lane Elementary School and Gibson Elementary School was arrested in December 2020<\/a> and has remained out of custody after posting bail.<\/p>\n The preliminary hearing continues Friday.<\/p>\n Former elementary school teacher Aaron Butler, shown in an undated photo, is accused of sexually assaulting students while having them sit on his lap. FRESNO POLICE DEPARTMENT
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