DETROIT – The Detroit man facing charges in connection to the death and sexual assault of a missing 13-year-old was also charged in connection to the sexual assault of two additional children.
Jarvis Ramon Butts, 41, faces a total of eight felony charges.
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We broke down the charges in the events in which the alleged assaults took place.
First victim
Butts allegedly sexually assaulted a now 20-year-old Highland Park woman between April 2012 and April 2014 at a residence on LaSalle Boulevard in Detroit. The victim would have been around 8 to 10 years old at the time of the assaults.
Butts was charged with the following in connection to this assault:
- One Count of First Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct - Person Under 13, Defendant 17 or Older
- Three counts of Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct - Person Under 13, Defendant 17 or Older
Second victim
A now 13-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by Butts at a residence on Stout Street in Detroit between July 2015 and July 2017. The victim would have been around 4 to 6 years old at the time of the assaults.
Butts was charged with Second-Degree Criminal Sexual Conduct - Person Under 13, Defendant 17 or Older.
Third Victim - Na’Ziyah Harris
13-year-old Na’Ziyah Harris went missing on Jan. 9, 2024. Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said Harris, after getting off a school bus at Cornwall Street and 3 Mile Drive, met with Butts the day she went missing and went to Ypsilanti before returning back to Detroit, where Butts checked into a motel.
Worthy said investigators have enough evidence that shows Harris has died, but a body has not yet been found. It’s alleged Harris was pregnant with Butts’ child and was looking to get an abortion at the time of her disappearance.
Butts and Harris had reportedly known each other because he was the father of her cousins. The abuse of Harris reportedly began in 2022 with sexually explicit texts. Text records allege that Butts knew she was pregnant and that he began searching online about abortions, abortion pills, and drinking red anti-freeze.
He was tracked to the Rouge River in Detroit the day after her disappearance, where police would later recover the clothes Harris was last seen wearing. Authorities said there was damage to the clothing that could indicate a struggle.
Butts is facing charges of first-degree murder, child sexual abusive activity and second-degree criminal sexual conduct in connection to Harris’ assault and death.
Ongoing investigation
Butts is scheduled to be arraigned Friday, Sept. 27, after 10 a.m. in the 36th District Court.
Authorities believe there could be more victims.
Anyone with information about this case is asked to call the Detroit Police Department’s Major Crimes Division at 313-596-2260.
To remain anonymous, you can submit information to Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-SPEAK-UP or going to their website.
