A federal grand jury indicted Deshawn Levelle Butler of Columbus on July 30 for illegally possessing a firearm after his toddler son died from a gunshot wound caused by an unsecured gun. Butler, 35, was arrested by federal agents on July 16 following an initial charge by criminal complaint.
According to charging documents, Columbus police responded to a shooting report on Quinby Drive on July 11 and found a 21-month-old child with an apparent gunshot wound. Officers were informed that the child had accidentally shot himself. The victim was transported to Mount Carmel East Hospital and later pronounced deceased.
An affidavit states that Butler was allegedly present during the shooting but fled before law enforcement arrived. He turned himself in at Columbus police headquarters the next morning and allegedly told officers that his son discovered Butler’s 9mm handgun in an open safe in a bedroom.
Butler has a prior conviction for aggravated burglary and is legally prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. He also had outstanding warrants for misdemeanor domestic violence charges at the time of his arrest. Possession of a firearm as a convicted felon carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.
United States Attorney Dominick S. Gerace II for the Southern District of Ohio, Jorge Rosendo, Special Agent in Charge with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF), and Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant announced the charges. Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Geraghty is representing the United States in this case.
The indictment contains allegations only; defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.