A 31-year-old South Carolina man, identified as Worden Evander Butler, is accused of violating the housing rights of his Black neighbors. According to reports, he not only lit a cross on fire in his backyard to intimidate his neighbors but also posted pictures of their home online. In 2025, Butler and his girlfriend, Alexis Hartnett, pleaded guilty to the charges of second-degree harassment in the incident.
According to the Atlanta Black Star, a federal grand jury charged the 31-year-old man over the incident, which took place on Nov. 24, 2023, in Conway. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina claimed that briefly after the Thanksgiving holiday, Bulter shared a series of pictures on his Facebook account about his next-door neighbors.
#URGENT🚨: In South #Carolina, the FBI conducted a search related to an "ongoing criminal civil rights investigation involving allegations of racial discrimination." The search follows the charges against Alexis Paige Hartnett and Worden Evander Butler for harassment. pic.twitter.com/Kb1K1XeAAy
— US-Crimes (@OfficialUScrime) December 20, 2023
He posted images of his neighbors’ home, cars, and mailbox, and set a cross on fire, which he had placed in his backyard. While sharing the pictures, he further proclaimed that he wanted “his racist neighbors … a good scare for the health. With a cross in the lawn.”
According to the South Carolina Attorney General’s press release, Butler could be sentenced up to 10 years in federal prison. Apprehended in California, he made an initial appearance on April 22 in the Eastern District of California. At the McMillan Federal Building in Florence, S.C., the 31-year-old was prosecuted on May 5 at 2:30 p.m.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Columbia Field Office, and the Horry County Police Department probed the case while it was being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elle E. Klein.
A federal grand jury in Florence indicted a Conway man accused of burning a cross to intimidate his black neighbors. Read more: https://t.co/XZd6FdjwJN pic.twitter.com/rRa9DfDX5P
— ABC News 4 (@ABCNews4) April 22, 2026
The U.S. Attorney Bryan Stirling for the District of South Carolina insisted that each family in America “has a right” to feel secure and safe in their homes. He further noted that Butler’s actions interfered with the “fundamental right” and that they will continue to safeguard Carolinians’ rights.
Meanwhile, FBI Columbia Assistant Special Agent in Charge Jose Charriez made a statement on the case. He said that Butler’s indictment shows the seriousness of these “alleged crimes” and their commitment to getting victims justice. “Racial animosity has no place in our community,” he added.
According to WPDE, Horry County officials said that the victims in the case had previously filed multiple reports of harassment that eventually led to the cross-burning incident. In one of the confrontations, Butler reportedly entered his neighbors’ residence and hurled anti-Black racial remarks.
At the time, he had also made a disturbing social media post. In it, he wrote that he was “summoning the devil’s army and I don’t care if they and I both go down in the same boat” and that he was going to “make them pay,” among other remarks.
On the other hand, victims Shawn and Monica Williams expressed happiness about Butler being federally prosecuted. “We are very grateful for law enforcement to actually get us to this point because, again, the cross-burning itself is just still so surreal to both Monica and I and our family,” said Shawn while speaking with WCNC.
His wife, Monica, hoped the hate crime bill would be passed in South Carolina, bringing “everything in full circle” for them.
