Shawn Butler — Eternal Life Christian Center (Assemblies of God–affiliated)
A youth minister hired despite a 1990 child-sex-assault conviction that legally barred him from youth-serving organizations. Convicted again in 2018 after more children were molested.
Pentecostal (Assemblies of God) Convicted (1990, 2018)
- Person
- Shawn Butler
- Role
- Youth minister
- Institution
- Eternal Life Christian Center (AG-affiliated), Franklin, New Jersey
- Location
- Franklin, New Jersey
- Status
- Convicted 1990; convicted again 2018
- Sentence
- Five years in prison (September 2019) for prohibited participation in a youth-serving organization; upheld on appeal
Case in brief
Tier 1 · Court-proven
Shawn Butler had a 1990 conviction for sexually assaulting girls, making him a Megan’s Law sex offender barred from youth-serving organizations. Lawsuits alleged — and NBC News reported — that Eternal Life Christian Center, an Assemblies of God–affiliated church in Franklin, New Jersey, hired him despite that conviction and gave him unfettered access to children for years (lawsuits say 2004–2014, as youth counselor, mentor, and chaperone for ages 12–17), and that he molested at least three more children. He was convicted again in 2018 in Middlesex County of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old and violating Megan’s Law, and in September 2019 was sentenced to five years in prison for prohibited participation in a youth-serving organization. The convictions were upheld on appeal. The victims’ civil suits against Butler, the church, and the AG General Council were later settled.
The institution
Eternal Life Christian Center and, in the civil litigation, the Assemblies of God General Council. The hiring allegation — a church placing a known, legally barred convicted offender over children for a decade — is the lawsuits’ claim, reported by NBC and the AP/USA Today Network; the 2018–19 criminal record is adjudicated.
The record
Tier 1 · Court-proven
| Item | Record |
|---|---|
| Prior conviction (1990) | Sexual assault of girls; Megan’s Law offender, barred from youth-serving organizations |
| Youth-ministry access | 2004–2014 per lawsuits (counselor/mentor/chaperone, ages 12–17) |
| Second conviction (2018) | Sexual assault of a 14-year-old; Megan’s Law violation (Middlesex County) |
| Sentence (September 2019) | Five years — prohibited participation in a youth-serving organization |
| Appeal | Convictions upheld |
| Civil | Suits against Butler, the church, and the AG General Council later settled |
Status
Convictions of record; civil litigation settled.
Records requested & responses
This archive has not filed records requests in this case. The file rests on the published sources below and will be updated if court or institutional records are obtained, or if that changes.
Sources
- Associated Press / USA Today Network (Gator Sports), “Minister accused in New Jersey church abuse case” (September 30, 2019 — conviction, five-year sentence, hiring allegations): gatorsports.com
- Top Class Actions case summary (1990 conviction; Megan’s Law bar; 2019 prison; appeal upheld): topclassactions.com
Filed October 18, 2026, from the published sources below. Minor victims are never named or identified in this file.