A Gainesville man was arrested Tuesday and charged with possessing images of bestiality.
The investigation into Jessie Butler, 35, began with a Nov. 28 CyberTip from Microsoft to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. It reported an image containing child sexual abuse material uploaded to BingImage, according to the arrest report.
The provided IP address reportedly belonged to a user in Gainesville. A Gainesville Police Department officer requested subscriber information Jan. 31 and received Butler’s name and address from Cox Communications Feb. 10.
Officers conducted a search warrant on Butler’s house March 27, where they made contact with him. Butler told police he wasn’t into “child pornography” but was into “furry porn,” according to the arrest report. He then declined to speak more.
According to the report, officers seized “numerous” electronic devices from Butler’s house. One contained a search for “underage content” conducted Nov. 27, a day before the CyberTip was received.
Over 150 images of bestiality were reportedly found on the devices, resulting in 12 charges for possession of sexual activities involving animals.
Alachua Police Department officers arrested Butler Tuesday. A forensic analysis of the devices is ongoing.
Contact Bailey Diem at bdiem@alligator.org. Follow her on X @BaileyDiem.
Bailey Diem is the Spring 2025 Metro Editor and a second-year journalism major. She has spent past semesters reporting for the university and metro desks. In her free time, Bailey enjoys playing guitar or getting lost in a book.
