Beech Tree News Network

On May 17, 2024, Richie Bratcher appeared in Butler Circuit Court on the charge of violating the terms and conditions of probation when he had electronic communication with a minor child. The Court found that Bratcher cannot be effectively managed/supervised in the community and is a significant risk to the community. The Court revoked his probation, and he was remanded into the custody of the Butler County Jailer for transportation to a state facility to serve the remainder of his five-year sentence.

Original Story

On December 2, 2020, Richie Bratcher, 53, of Morgantown was charged with three (3)counts of Prohibited Use of an Electronic Communication System to Procure a Minor.

Commonwealth Attorney Blake Chambers made an offer to Bratcher on December 9, 2022, to plead guilty to an amended charge of one count of unlawful transaction with a minor, 2nd degree. Bratcher accepted the offer, entered a guilty plea, and was sentenced to 5 years. The sentence was then altered to 60 days on house arrest with a monitor, no unsupervised contact with minor children, no electronic /online contact with minor children, and a resignation from employment with the Butler County School District.