{"id":375850,"date":"2026-06-26T13:57:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-26T13:57:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/375850\/"},"modified":"2026-06-26T13:57:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-26T13:57:11","slug":"former-fresno-unified-teacher-faces-charges-of-lewd-acts-involving-five-girls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/375850\/","title":{"rendered":"Former Fresno Unified teacher faces charges of lewd acts involving five girls"},"content":{"rendered":"

A former Fresno elementary school teacher accused of molesting multiple young students was hit with damning testimony Thursday as two of his former students told a courtroom he allegedly made them sit on his lap before touching them inappropriately<\/a> during class.<\/p>\n

Aaron Butler, 56, appeared in court in civilian clothes and out of custody as prosecutors outlined charges accusing him of lewd and lascivious acts involving five girls over a three-year period.<\/p>\n

He faces nine criminal counts tied to alleged conduct that prosecutors say occurred between August 2014 and June 2017.<\/p>\n

He faces nine criminal counts tied to alleged conduct that prosecutors say occurred between August 2014 and June 2017. Fresno County Sheriff’s Office<\/p>\n

Aaron Butler in court, shown from behind, wearing a light blue button-up shirt. ABC30<\/p>\n

All of the alleged victims were under the age of 14 at the time.<\/p>\n

During a preliminary hearing, two teenage girls who once attended Lane Elementary School in southeast Fresno delivered emotional testimony regarding their experiences in Butler\u2019s classroom.<\/p>\n

One student testified that Butler invited her to stay in the classroom during recess to color.\u00a0<\/p>\n

According to her testimony, after the other students had left, she was asked to bring her supplies to his desk and sit on his lap, at which point the alleged inappropriate physical contact occurred.<\/p>\n

The same witness described a separate alleged incident in which she was physically injured. ABC30<\/p>\n

Lane Elementary School in southeast Fresno. Google<\/p>\n

Another former student described a similar pattern of behavior.<\/p>\n

\u201cI felt uncomfortable. I didn\u2019t really know how to react or what to do. I feel like since he did it when he\u2019s teaching no one\u2019s thinking nothing of it. I\u2019m just there, I didn\u2019t really know what to do or what to say,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The same witness described a separate alleged incident in which she was physically injured, saying Butler picked her up and threw her during school hours.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIt was on a school day, he had picked me up and, like, threw me.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cHe was trying to throw me on top of somebody, and I fell wrong, and I remember I busted my chin open,\u201d she testified<\/p>\n

Butler worked for Fresno Unified for more than 20 years before his employment ended after his arrest at Gibson Elementary School in December 2020.<\/p>\n

The case is expected to continue as prosecutors call additional witnesses and present evidence while a judge determines whether it will proceed to trial.<\/p>\n

His maximum prison sentence could be up to 150 years, if convicted of all counts.<\/p>\n

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