Judge revokes probation of former Butler Co. Schools employee who sent ‘sexually explicit messages’ to minor

richie-bratcher-2
richie-bratcher-2

A former Butler County School District employee has had his probation revoked after having illegal communications with a child.

Richie T. Bratcher, 54, was arrested in December 2020 by the Kentucky State Police Electronic Crime Branch and charged with three counts of prohibited use of an electronic communication system to procure a minor.

Bratcher was accused of inviting a boy to join a sexually explicit Facebook group and, according to Kentucky State Police, the suspect sent the victim “sexually explicit messages …” in doing so.

In December 2022, Bratcher reached a plea deal with the Butler County Commonwealth Attorney’s Office where he pled guilty to second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, according to The Beech Tree News. Second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor is a class D felony.

Bratcher was given a suspended five-year sentence and served 60 days under house arrest. He was ordered to have no unsupervised contact with juveniles and was prohibited from having contact with juveniles via electronic devices or online.

In revoking Bratcher’s probation, the judge said he “cannot be effectively managed/supervised in the community and is a significant risk to the community,” the Beech Tree News reports.

Bratcher was taken into custody and will now serve his five-year sentence.

He was a clerical assistant at the time of his arrest, and did not have direct contact with students, according to Butler County Schools Superintendent Robert Tuck.

By Ken Howlett, News Director

Contact Ken at ken@k105.com