Eric Butler

Convicted sex offender Eric Zephyre Butler, 36, of Walling, Tenn., attempted to attend the book fair with his girlfriend to visit her daughter when a Raptor Technologies computer program identified him as a convicted sex offender, said Detective Sgt. Mickey McCullough.

Deputy Andrea Knox charged Butler Wednesday with violation of the child sexual abuse registry. Butler is being held at Rutherford County Adult Detention Center on $100,000 bond set by General Sessions Court Judge David Loughry. A hearing on the charge is set Nov. 16 in General Sessions Court.

Rutherford County Schools’ spokesman James Evans said schools’ Director Harry Gill approved a pilot program for Stewarts Creek Elementary School Principal Richard Zago to install the Raptor Technologies system under a pilot program five years ago. Initial cost is about $1,500 to $2,000. Zago decided to keep the program with an annual fee of about $500 per year.

Gill reported he is currently evaluating the cost and is hopeful the system may be implemented at other Rutherford County schools.

McCullough said when visitors enter the school, their identification is scanned through the system and checks a national data base for the sexual offenders registry, outstanding warrants, orders of protection, custody disputes and parents whose rights have been terminated, the sergeant said.

School Resource Officer Kerry Nelson reported when a school official ran Butler’s driver’s license Friday, the Raptor Technologies system showed information about the sexual offenders’ registry. The couple was told there was a glitch in the system so the girlfriend told Butler to wait in the car.

Both Zago and a Raptor text notified Nelson immediately who located Butler in the car. McCullough directed Nelson to obtain information from Butler and advised him to call McCullough Monday.

McCullough interviewed Butler who gave a statement about knowingly violating the sexual offender registry’s rules and regulations because he was a convicted sexual offender on school grounds, the sergeant said. Butler surrendered to Knox Wednesday.

Butler was convicted of sexual molestation and attempting to rape three boys ages 6 to 9 in Ohio, the sergeant said.

“He is categorized as a violent sex offender and resides in White County,” McCullough said.

Butler is registered in White County and the state of Tennessee.