By Ron Lee
Investigative Reporter

Preston, ID – Recently, Preston, Idaho, ex-police chief Scott Shaw was indicted, convicted, and sentenced to serve one to five years in prison on charges of misusing public funds and perjury. To many, this was just a slap on the wrist and far too short a sentence for his crimes. For Neil Butler, owner of Butler Trailers, it was a day of vindication, as Scott Shaw was one of several local Preston officials who maliciously pursued him from 1994 through 1997 over a trumped-up felony charge of sales tax evasion.

Instead of bowing to the will of the establishment and paying an initial $150.00 fine illegitimately levied against him, Butler instead chose to stand up against the corrupt Franklin County, Idaho infrastructure that included, along with Shaw, Mayor Jay Heusser, Franklin County Prosecutor Jay McKenzie, police officers Mark Beckstead and Ned Burton, Franklin County Sheriff Don Beckstead, and Eric Elle, an Idaho Transportation Inspector.

Spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on his defense, Butler, with the help of the US~Observer (then the Oregon Observer) saw his case dismissed on the grounds that there was perjury and a lack of evidence, even though they had rifled through his entire home for 4-5 hours as they conducted an illegal and unwarranted search and seizure. Corrupt law enforcement searched Butler’s exemplary premises because he refused to be a patsy and to stand for the corruption in his county. When he spoke out, they attacked him, expecting to silence his voice. In hindsight, they picked on the wrong man. Today Butler relates the illegal search and seizure conducted by 13 officers to being “forcefully raped.” Needless to say, nothing illegal was found on Neil Butler’s property.

After Franklin County District Judge Don L. Harding rightfully threw out Butler’s criminal charges in 1997, Butler pursued those named above who were responsible for violating his First, Fourth, and Fifth Amendment rights.

Unfortunately, Shaw was among those ruled immune from suit because of his “official” position. Those who got away with their corruption go away because of “immunity.” Immunity is a legal principle that allows corrupt public officials to get away with perjury, knowingly filing false charges against citizens, and more. Immunity is wrong and, according to Neil Butler, “it is undermining our system of justice.” Someday soon immunity might just be the much-warranted downfall of a justice system run amok in America. Butler, however, did settle with one offender for a sum far smaller than what was expended in standing up against his false prosecution.

Of those who falsely targeted Butler, several, including Shaw, have been exposed as corrupt, including Mayor Jay Heusser, who has been charged with felony fraud and stands with Shaw in a civil rights lawsuit regarding an illegal search of the home of one of Shaw’s own confidential informants. (Please read “Web of Preston power abuse claimed” on page 13 of this edition)

At the hearing of Shaw’s conviction, Butler simply said, “I wasn’t surprised … A lot of injustices were done and not just to me … It’s about time.”

Butler attributes much of his case’s success to the help provided by the Observer, and he remains a staunch supporter of their cause.

Editor’s Note: After being cleared of false criminal charges, Neil Butler decided he couldn’t live in the Preston area any longer due to the entrenched corruption. Butler moved his major trailer manufacturing plant across the State of Idaho to Orofino, where he now produces his trailers. In a recent conversation with Butler, he informed us that he still believes in holding government accountable and plans to continue his involvement with local government in Orofino when he witnesses public officials lying or involved in acts of corruption. The US~Observer is a better paper today because of men like Neil Butler and the opportunity we had 8 years ago to help vindicate this dedicated and responsible American.