Halle sentenced to parole for contempt of protection order
Former Butler school board member William “Bill” Halle was found guilty Tuesday, June 20, of indirect criminal contempt for violating a temporary sexual violence order.
Halle, 58, was placed under the order April 28 by Butler County Common Pleas Judge S. Michael Yeager after he was accused of having sexual contact with a 17-year-old he employed and counseled at Net Outreach Center in Butler.
According to court documents, District Judge William Robinson sentenced Halle to six months in prison for the violation, but Halle was immediately placed on parole.
Documents showed Halle is to obey the stipulations of the order while on probation and pay a $25 fine.
Police said Halle violated the protection order May 1, when he posted to his Facebook account.
“I want to thank everyone who has tried to call, text, message, etc., with words of encouragement and support for me. However, I covet your prayers first for the young woman involved,” Halle said at the end of the post.
The investigating officer said the comment referred to the plaintiff, which is a direct violation of the order.
The order also prohibited Halle from having any contact with the girl, bans him from the plaintiff’s Butler home, and prohibits him from abusing, harassing, stalking or threatening the plaintiff and posting any remarks or images of her on any social media website or network.
The hearing on the order itself was continued to Sept. 12, court documents showed.
Halle was charged by city police May 31.
He was charged with four felonies, including sexual assault by a volunteer or employee of a nonprofit, corruption of minors, criminal use of a communication facility and criminal solicitation.
According to charging documents, a ChildLine report was filed May 1 stating Halle was seen being intimate with the 17-year-old while sitting on a street curb near the minor’s home in Butler Township.
Police said the minor’s father then discovered text messages between Halle and the girl that were sexual in nature, and additional text message and email drafts from Halle were discovered by officers on the minor’s phone.
Police said Halle allegedly showed these drafts, which explained why he should spend more time with the minor, to the child before sending them to the minor’s mother.
The 17-year-old later disclosed having sexual intercourse with Halle at the Net Outreach center at 100 Center Ave. The address is also listed as Halle’s home address in court documents.
Halle is to appear for a preliminary hearing regarding the charges on July 10.
