The South Bend Police Department has confirmed that Officer Rico Butler resigned from the department earlier this month, following the dismissal of criminal charges against him in St. Joseph County court.
Ashley O’Chap, the department’s director of communications, said Butler submitted a letter of resignation on July 1. The department has not issued a formal public statement but confirmed that its internal investigation into Butler’s conduct remains ongoing.
Butler was arrested in March and charged with two felony counts of child seduction. Prosecutors alleged he had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old student at New Vision Christian Academy, a Mishawaka private school where Butler’s mother serves as principal.
The case went to trial on June 24, but Superior Court Judge Christopher Fronk excluded key evidence from being shown to the jury, including Snapchat messages that prosecutors said contained explicit exchanges, and Butler’s recorded confession. Fronk ruled the confession inadmissible under corpus delicti, a legal principle that requires evidence beyond a defendant’s own statements to support a conviction. With limited evidence remaining, the St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the charges.
Following the trial, Butler remained employed by the South Bend Police Department but was not receiving pay. The South Bend Police Merit Board met in late June to discuss the possibility of awarding back pay but delayed a decision until the department’s internal investigation is complete.
According to O’Chap, Butler’s resignation will appear on the agenda for the Merit Board’s August meeting. Board members must vote to formally recognize the resignation.
