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Anthony Butler, 20, of Huntersville, N.C., pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Lancaster Town Court to unlawful imprisonment, reckless endangerment and endangering the welfare of a minor. He was sent to Erie County Holding Center after not posting $25,000 bail.
The girl — who had corresponded with Butler on the Internet and with a cell phone even after her parents found out and tried to stop her — left her home with him Saturday and was intending to run away with him to North Carolina, according to Lancaster police.
When she had second thoughts about the liaison, she sent text messages with the description of the car to her sister, enabling state police to apprehend the man in Chautauqua County. Lancaster Police Chief Gary F. Stoldt said Butler had been corresponding over the Internet and by cell phone with the teenager for more than a year.
“He came up Saturday to pick her up and take her back to North Carolina. They were going to live together as man and wife,” said Stoldt.
“We were called by the family, when they found out this guy came up and picked up their daughter,” Capt. Timothy R. Murphy said.
He said the girl apparently got nervous and started texting her sister with locations and descriptions.
“She was text-messaging, ‘I’m with this guy, we just passed into Pennsylvania,’ ” he said.
Lancaster police notified state police in Fredonia, who saw the car when it was back in Chautauqua County and stopped it, taking Butler into custody, Murphy said.
“We’re currently working with the FBI to possibly file federal charges,” he said.
The girl’s parents “turned their back for an hour, and she was gone,” said Murphy, who explained how the girl’s parents discovered she was missing.
“That’s how quickly this can happen. She went voluntarily, but I guess she got as far as Pennsylvania and missed her mommy and started texting her sister,” Stoldt said.
The relationship had been going on for nearly a year, although the girl’s father had tried to stop it, police said.
“She met this guy on some type of chat site through the computer, probably last September or October,” Murphy said.
When the girl’s father took away her computer privileges, Butler sent a cell phone to one of her friends to give to the girl so her family wouldn’t find out about it, police said. While the two are relatively close in age, Butler knew the girl was underage, police said.
“He had been advised by the father not to have any more contact with his daughter,” Murphy said.
The girl also used a computer at school to contact Butler.
“As soon as the school knew something went on, they stopped it,” Murphy said. “Parents should be aware their children also may be using computers outside the home.”
By Barbara O’Brien and Harold McNeilNEWS STAFF REPORTERS
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