JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A woman who worked as an adolescent therapist at a residential treatment center in Limestone faces a statutory rape by an authority figure charge after allegedly engaging in a romantic and sexual relationship with a 17-year-old boy who resided at the center.

Caysie Butcher, 33, has a plea deadline hearing scheduled in Washington County Criminal Court Thursday related to the relationship, which allegedly lasted from July 2022 until around early 2023. A grand jury charged her in July 2024 with statutory rape by an authority figure, a class B felony that carries a standard range of 8 to 12 years in prison.

News Channel 11 learned of the allegations through an adverse licensure action by the Tennessee Department of Health (TDH). Butcher’s license — she worked at Steppenstone Youth Treatment Services from November 2017 to Jan. 10, 2023 — was revoked by TDH in October 2024. TDH reported its disciplinary action to the National Practitioner Data Bank.

The TDH report states that TDH was “prepared and able to present evidence” to a list of “statements of fact.” The order does note that by entering into it by consent, Butcher “is not admitting the truth” of the statements of fact, but is conceding “the State could and would present evidence in support of these Statements and that such evidence, if deemed accurate, would be sufficient to warrant the disciplinary action…”

Foster parent overhears inappropriate phone conversation

The TDH disciplinary order, to which Butcher consented without opposition, states that Butcher started the relationship with “Patient B” by engaging in inappropriate conversations. Eventually, the order says, Butcher set up a cash app account and would buy the youth gifts or send him money.

At some point, the pair exchanged nude and sexually explicit photos via cell phone and sent each other sexually explicit texts, the report says. Butcher was among staff who signed off that Patient B was ready for foster care, and he entered a local foster home in October 2022.

Butcher “wrote the teen letters almost daily, as well as called and texted him continuously,” the report states. It was during one of these calls that the foster parent heard the teen tell someone that he loved her, and learned from Patient B he’d been talking to Butcher.

The foster parent reported this to Steppenstone. After several interviews with Patient B, Steppenstone representatives learned Butcher had been meeting him for sexual liaisons at various places in Johnson City. The TDH report states that Butcher kept interactions with the alleged victim secret and “emphasized to Patient B the need to do the same.”

Butcher fired, then posts picture with victim

Steppenstone representatives confronted Butcher on Jan. 3, 2023, according to the TDH report, and she did not expressly admit to engaging in sexual behavior with the youth. She did allegedly state several times, “I let myself get too close to him,” and that “I don’t want to lose my job.”

Butcher was fired around Jan. 10, 2023, and the TDH report states that shortly after, and a few days after Patient B’s 18th birthday, “she made a social media post showing a photo of Patient B embracing and kissing her…” The caption said, “Had a great vacation with you. I love you so much and can’t wait for more moments like this.”

A referral was made to the Johnson City Police Department. The TDH report says police found evidence of sexual communication on Patient B’s phone and that he admitted to engaging in sexual activity with Butcher while still a minor.

The grand jury presentment states the offense occurred on or about Dec. 20, 2022. The presentment notes that Butcher “was in a position of trust, or had a supervisory or disciplinary power over the victim by virtue of (Butcher’s) legal, professional or occupational status and used the position to accomplish the act.”

Standard statutory rape is a class E felony.