A commissioned officer will spend two months in jail after a military jury found him guilty this week of abusive sexual contact, Navy officials confirmed.

A panel of his peers also acquitted Ensign Brendan Butler on rape, stalking and battery charges, plus another count of abusive sexual contact on Wednesday, according to Navy Region Mid-Atlantic spokesman David Todd.

Butler was a surface warfare officer in training on board the amphibious transport dock Mesa Verde when he was charged in 2018.

The allegations against him spanned late 2017 and early 2018.

Butler was convicted of touching the genitalia through the clothing of another sailor on board the amphibious transport dock Portland in early 2018, according to charge sheets and Todd.

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Names of alleged victims were redacted in the charge sheets provided to Navy Times earlier this year.

Officials did not immediately indicate where Butler will be confined.

Attorneys for Butler did not respond to requests for comment this week, but his civilian lawyer, Benjamin Beliles, told Navy Times in April that the ensign had previously been in a relationship with the accuser.

“My client did not sexually assault her and we are confident that justice will be done in the end,” Beliles had said.

Geoff is the editor of Navy Times, but he still loves writing stories. He covered Iraq and Afghanistan extensively and was a reporter at the Chicago Tribune. He welcomes any and all kinds of tips at geoffz@militarytimes.com.

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