Cedar Rapids Man Escapes Work Release Facility

Tools

By Aaron Hepker

Story Created: Aug 7, 2012 at 4:42 PM CDT

Story Updated: Aug 7, 2012 at 4:42 PM CDT

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa - A Cedar Rapids man sentenced to work release and probation for his role in a 2010 shooting in Iowa City has escaped from his work release facility, according to a release from the Iowa Department of Corrections.

Bernard James Butler II was sentenced to 10 years for intimidation with a dangerous weapon and going armed with intent in Johnson County and second degree burglary in Linn County. The release said he failed to return to the Larry A. Nelson Center in Cedar Rapids at 12:30 p.m., and was placed on escaped status at 2:30 p.m Tuesday. Butler was transferred to the facility after being granted work release by the Iowa Board of Parole.

Butler, now 21, was accused of shooting Cortez Parker, 34, in the abdomen on Aug. 9, 2010 at the now-closed Los Cocos bar in Iowa City. He was originally charged with attempted murder in the incident, but pleaded guilty to the two lesser offenses as part of a plea deal in which he admitted only to threatening to shoot Parker.

He was sentenced to a five year suspended sentence with a $750 suspended fine on each count, and was ordered to serve three years probation and to report to the work release center in April 2o10.

Butler is described as a 5'10" African American male with black hair and brown eyes. The release said he weighs 186 pounds and has an unfinished tattoo that reads "only the" on his back, along with a separate tattoo of a bulldog with crossbones on his right shoulder.