Head of children's home is arrested in scam

The director of the Shepherd's Cove children's home near Gordonville was arrested Thursday in what police are describing as a $10,000 raffle scam in which he promised that the winning ticket holders would get a new car.

Instead, authorities say no car was awarded, no raffle proceeds went to the children's home and the Rev. David Butler spent the money himself.

Nearly four months after the raffle was supposed to be held, Butler, 47, faces two felony charges -- stealing by deceit and unlawful merchandising practices. Butler posted a $15,000 bond before being released from the Cape Girardeau County jail on Thursday.

The arrest warrant says Butler appropriated about $9,671 between September 2004 and February 2005. Police say that Butler shifted the money from a raffle account to his own personal account and used the money for "personal business."

The warrant also alleges that Butler used false pretenses to sell the tickets, claiming the children's home is a not-for-profit organization and is a licensed foster-care facility. The warrant says the Missouri Division of Family Services has not licensed Shepherd's Cove as an approved foster-care facility and it is not registered with the state as a not-for-profit organization.

Lt. David James with the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department said he couldn't comment on what Butler bought with the money because the investigation was continuing. James said that the raffle account held $9,671 before Butler transferred it to his own account, although it's possible more money had been received from the sales of tickets, which cost $30 for one or four for $100.

"We don't know how many tickets he sold, how much he collected or what he did with all of it," James said. "We have to go by what the raffle account showed. But we know he used some of it for his personal use."

James said none of the money had been recovered, adding that there was no money in the raffle account as of Feb. 15.

"We don't know where it went," James said. "We charged him with spending some of it, but we can't say he spent all $9,000 for his personal use. All the money was drawn out of it."

James said more charges may be pending.

Butler did not return calls Thursday. His attorney, Allen E. Moss Jr., said that Butler intends to plead not guilty and will require the state to prove its case to the fullest extent required by law.

"What is lost in all of this is Mr. Butler first approached the authorities in January of this year about the raffle and indicated it did not go off as he had hoped," Moss said. "He first contacted law enforcement authorities. ... We challenge the state to prove any of this money was appropriated for Mr. Butler's personal use."

Butler told the Missourian in March that some 600 tickets had been sold. At that time, Butler apparently had reached an agreement with the Missouri attorney general's office to refund $16,280 in ticket receipts.

The car was supposed to be raffled on Dec. 4

Moss said he couldn't comment on whether Butler had the money to return through the attorney general's office. Moss said that Butler is scheduled for arraignment Monday.

Roger Gibson of Cape Girardeau was one of the few that got his money back. He bought four tickets for $100.

"He gave me the money back because he knew they were on to him," Gibson said. "I think what he did was definitely wrong. If you're selling raffle tickets and you never give the car away or what you're raffling off, it's wrong. But he did give me my money back, I give him credit there."

Mike Jobe of Chaffee never got his $100 back.

"I really hounded him," Jobe said. "I called him five or six times."

Then Jobe called the attorney general's office.

"I thought it was for a good cause," Jobe said. "It's disheartening. There's a lot of good causes out there. People are untrustworthy now with giving. But this is just one individual who has done this. He should have to stand up and face the music."

Staff writer Linda Redeffer contributed to this report.

smoyers@semissourian.com

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