Maury County Sheriff Bucky Rowland says state Rep. Sheila Butt’s son, Cliff, was arrested Thursday on charges of contributing to the delinquency of a minor for buying alcohol for an underage student, reports the Columbia Daily Herald.
Cliff Butt, 40, was jailed on the misdemeanor and released after posting a $1,500 bond, according to Maury County Sheriff’s Department records.
Acting through a tip, police investigated allegations that Butt provided alcohol to a minor during a recent prom party, Rowland said. Butt turned himself in to authorities and was arrested.
“He had purchased alcohol for some underage individuals for a party, is my understanding,” Rowland said. “At that time, our detectives had enough information, they went forward with charging Mr. Butt with contributing to the delinquency of a minor.”
The sheriff could not confirm the person’s age and said he only knew that it was a juvenile. (Note: The Tennessean reports the youth’s age as 17.)
Rowland also said the incident “could” be related to recent suspensions of Columbia Academy students who were reprimanded for underage drinking.
The Daily Herald waited to speak with Butt at the Maury County Jail Thursday where most inmates enter and exit the facility. After more than an hour, a corrections officer said Butt had left the building through the front doors.
Rowland later approached The Daily Herald and said Butt knew the media was waiting outside and asked to leave through an alternate route — a request the sheriff granted.
…Rep. Butt, R-Columbia, did not return multiple requests seeking comment, but did release a statement.
“Stan and I have been informed today by Maury County law enforcement that our 40 year old son, Cliff, is going to be charged with contributing to the delinquency of a minor. We sympathize with the parents of the young people involved. We would feel the same way,” Butt said in the statement. “We are like every other family and have tried to raise our children to make wise choices. As a grown man, we love our son and will pray for him and for the families involved. However, we do not condone this behavior and he will have to bear the consequences of his actions.”