Former Elizabeth police chief gets federal probation for stealing heroin out of evidence

The former Elizabeth Borough police chief who stole thousands of bags of heroin from his department’s evidence room to feed his addiction was ordered Tuesday to serve four years of federal probation, with 90 days of home detention.

Timothy L. Butler, 46, of Finleyville, had already been sentenced in state court to four years of probation for the same conduct.

His attorney, D. Scott Lautner, told U.S. District Judge Marilyn J. Horan during the sentencing hearing that his client has accepted responsibility for his actions.

“He’s looking forward to moving on with his life,” he said.

Butler, who became chief in 2014, became addicted to heroin after he was originally prescribed Vicodin for back pain.

When investigators searched Butler’s office, they found more than 2,700 loose stamp bags in a trash can, as well as 535 more loose bags around his desk, and an evidence envelope labeled to contain 2,500 bags of heroin.

All of them were empty, according to the criminal complaint.

Butler, who had been an officer in the department for nearly 20 years, resigned.

He was initially charged in state court, and he pleaded guilty to theft, drug possession and obstruction.

In November 2019, in addition to probation, he was ordered to perform 325 hours of community service.

Butler was then indicted in federal court in July on a single count of theft of government property.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s office, Butler was in charge of securing bricks of heroin from two separate federal investigations during which he was serving as a task force officer deputized by the FBI between June 2017 and December 2018.

“I believe he’s extremely remorseful,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Cessar. “He knows he messed up his life.”

Butler’s advisory guideline range called for six to 12 months in federal prison or up to five years of probation.

Horan chastised Butler as having known better than to steal the heroin, although she acknowledged he was driven by addiction.

“You were in a position of public trust and also with your fellow officers,” she said. “Your conduct impacted them and their credibility. It was a serious, serious breach.”

She credited Butler with staying clean.

“I think this is a lesson served — a life saved in your case,” Horan said.