Former Elizabeth Borough Police Chief Charged with Stealing Evidence

(File Photo of Federal Court in Pittsburgh, Pa.)

(Pittsburgh, Pa.)  A resident of Finleyville, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of theft of government property, United States Attorney Cindy K. Chung announced today.
The one-count Indictment named Timothy L. Butler, Jr., 45, as the sole defendant.
According to the Indictment, from June 2017 until December 2018, Butler, the former Chief of Police, stole evidence – bricks of heroin with a value of over $1,000 – from the Elizabeth Borough Police Department evidence locker for his own personal use.
The law provides for a maximum total sentence of not more than 10 years in prison, a fine of not more than $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.
Assistant United States Attorney Robert S. Cessar is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.
An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.