The former chorus director and the band director at Whitewater High School pled guilty last week in DeKalb County to pandering after they arranged a meeting at a hotel there with two prostitutes who were actually undercover police officers.
Douglas Dee, the former band director and Kelly Butler, the former choral director, were fined $1,000 each and sentenced to 12 months probation.
Dee and Butler were granted first offender status by the court, meaning that if they successfully complete their probation the conviction will not be placed on their permanent record, said defense attorney Matt McCord.
Butler’s plea was recorded as what is known as an “Alford” plea meaning that she does not admit the crime and asserts her innocence in the case.
McCord said the two could easily have challenged the case in a jury trial because the evidence showed the only people in the case who mentioned sex being brokered in the deal were the undercover officers.
But due to the uncertain nature of a jury trial, Dee and Butler chose to enter pleas instead, McCord said.
As to what Dee and Butler went to the hotel room for, McCord said he didn’t know. But he was certain that Dee and Butler were both “great teachers who have done a lot of good.”
According to a police report, Dee agreed to pay $200 to the prostitutes both in a phone conversation setting up the meeting and also in person at the hotel room.
Dee and Butler resigned their positions Sept. 10 after the school system became aware of the charges for the first time since the May 1 incident, officials said.
Dee was arrested the same night but Butler’s arrest happened at a later date, DeKalb officials said.
