Michael Donnell Butts, 52 Suffolk, VA |
52 year old Michael Donnell Butts of Suffolk, VA was sentenced today in Norfolk federal court to five life terms in prison for conspiracy of retaliation against a federal witness.
Butts succeeded in preventing the testimony of a federal witness after he shot Junior Bivins Jr. who also lived in Suffolk. Bivins was free on bond and was awaiting sentencing after he pled guilty to drug charges.
Butts hired someone to kill Bivins because he thought Bivins was cooperating with a federal criminal investigation. He took the hired henchman to Bivins home and provided him with a gun to carry out the shooting. Bivins died at the scene after being shot in front of his home. Two other witnesses were targeted in the summer of 2001 in Petersburg, VA. One was shot and stabbed and the other was shot in the face.
Butts arranged all three attacks.
Butts succeeded in preventing the testimony of a federal witness after he shot Junior Bivins Jr. who also lived in Suffolk. Bivins was free on bond and was awaiting sentencing after he pled guilty to drug charges.
Butts hired someone to kill Bivins because he thought Bivins was cooperating with a federal criminal investigation. He took the hired henchman to Bivins home and provided him with a gun to carry out the shooting. Bivins died at the scene after being shot in front of his home. Two other witnesses were targeted in the summer of 2001 in Petersburg, VA. One was shot and stabbed and the other was shot in the face.
Butts arranged all three attacks.
