Sentencing Memorandum - United States v. David Butziger (Doc. 35-1, filed 2021-12-16)

Summary

Statements of support filed as Document 35-1 with the sentencing memorandum in United States v. David Butziger, No. 1:20-cr-00072-MSM-LDA, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island, filed December 16, 2021. The exhibit collects letters from people who know David Butziger asking the court for leniency in sentencing. Writers include William T. Anderson, who describes Butziger's volunteer work with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary and special education programs; Butziger's father, Arnold (Nick) Butziger, who describes work together on a fishing boat and in marine drug testing; and his brother John Butziger, who describes Butziger's operation of Rise Gymnastics. The last letter, from Matthew J Ventura, requests leniency and describes Butziger as trustworthy.

Summary drafted by a model from the document's text below and checked by script against that text before publication. It is a navigation aid, not a reading of what the document proves. Where AI is used

Record facts

Full text

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STATEMENTS OF SUPPORT
#: 168

William T. Anderson JD, EdD
106 Modock Rd.
Pomfret Center, CT 06259

23 September 2020

Attorney John Calcagni
1 Custom House St.
Providence, R1 02903
Re: David Butziger

Dear Sir,
Please accept this correspondence as a sentencing recommendation to the Federal Court.

| am not a resident of Rhode Island, however, my friendship with the accused has spanned 30 years of
interaction in multiple venues. His father; Arnold Butziger, was a math teacher at Toll Gate High School
during my tenure as Assistant Director of Special Education for the Warwick Schoo! Department.

| met David through his father when | became involved with the US Coast Guard Auxiliary in 1988. We
taught many classes of sailing, boat handling and navigation to hundreds of students over my years as
an Auxiliarist.

David has been connected to multiple programs initiated through my professional experiences as a
specialist with children presenting complex mental health and educational needs. David was the captain
of our vessel, a 110 year old, 50’ Friendship Sloop, while staff and students experienced the challenges
involved with this population managing a new experience without losing self-control.

Many of our “crew” had long histories of trauma and abuse. At the time | was a contractor with the
Connecticut Department of Children and Families as a behavioral psychologist, collaborating with a
FQHC. David volunteered significant time for cruises during three seasons over a four years period.

David was involved in the creation of our technology program at CITE School, a private special education
program for students diagnosed with Autism and psychiatric disorders, volunteering hours of his time to
develop our original “network.” David has been very active during the five years of my tenure as
Principal/COO of our programs in North Providence and Providence. He is the first person cailed when |
have a question involving a computer.

The individuals we serve often exhibit challenging behavior, David, with his ready sense of humor and
nonplussed countenance, easily de-escalated confrontations with our clients or students.

Although, | can not speak to his decision-making process in this circumstance, | have been privy to his
ability to reason, assess and make a plan to reach a goal. The path he chose is an anomaly to my many
experiences with David.

Hence, my request for lertiency in sentencing.

#: 169

My name is Arnold (Nick) Butziger and | am David Butziger’s father. | understand that Mr.
Butziger is pending criminal prosecution in United States District court for the District of Rhode
Island. | offer this statement for both the Court’s and government’s consideration when
disposing of this matter.

| have lived in Warwick, RI all my life, and have been married for 54 years. We have two sons
and three grandchildren.

| am a graduate of the University of Rhode Island and also studied at the Massachusetts
Maritime Academy. | have been a mathematics teacher for over 30 years at St. Dunstan’s
School and in the City of Warwick. | also was an Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at New
England Institute of Technology. | have had my Coast Guard Captain’s license for 50 years and
am still currently active as a charter boat fishing captain in Point Judith Rhode Island. | also run
the RI Drug Testing Company which does drug testing for the maritime industry. For 10 years |
was Chairman of the Supervisory Committee for Greenwood Credit Union.

For the past 20 years | have been on the Governing Board of Music on the Hill Society which
brings classical musicians to RI to put on concerts each year. | publish their annual magazine, as
well as publishing the magazine for the Rhode Island Party and Charterboat Association.

| have been a member of the US Coast Guard Auxiliary for over 50 years and served in many
capacities, as has my son David. We have each served as Flotilla Commander for several times,
as coxswain for patrols and rescues, as aids to navigation verifiers, as vessel safety examiners,
as member training instructors and public education instructors. Both David and | have received
many awards for this.

David and | have worked together since he was young. He serves as mate on my fishing boat, as
well as repairing the engine, setting up electronics, and doing boat repairs and maintenance. He
does much of the heavy work on the boat for me. | am 78 years old and havea heart condition
and this would not be possible for me to do. He has his US Coast Guard Captain’s license too
and is an excellent boat handler. He has towed in many boats, and just a couple of months ago
towed in a boater in a stranded catamaran.

David also works with me drug testing. He takes the burden off me and does the testing
involving driving to Maine, Albany, Pennsylvania, Georgia, etc. He does the serious marine
incident drug testing that has to be done on a moment's notice at any hour of the day or night.
He is excellent at handling the crew in a courteous, pleasant manner no matter what the
circumstances.

He also helps me with my computer, particularly with new developments such as setting up
Zoom meetings etc. He also helps his nephew, who is a special ed student, learning skills. This
summer he taught him to run a dinghy. He is teaching him how to use tools etc. David always
uses patience and good humor.

David has been a great gift to us. Without him we could not accomplish all that we do.
#: 170

Statement of Support on Behalf of David Butziger by John Butziger

My name is John Butziger, and I am David Butziger’s brother. I understand that Mr.
Butziger is pending criminal prosecution in United States District Court for the District of Rhode
Island. I offer this statement for both the Court’s and government’s consideration when
disposing of this matter.

Iam a licensed Professional Engineer with an undergraduate degree in engineering from
University of Rhode Island (1991) and a Master’s Degree in engineering from Rutgers
University (1993). I manage a research and development group comprised of engineers and
scientists at Primo Medical Group (PMG), a medical device company in Stoughton, MA. My
title is Vice President of Engineering Programs and I have worked at PMG for ten years.
Previously I was the Chief Technical Officer at a media technology company in New York City,
and a program manager at several environmental engineering companies prior to that. I currently
live in East Greenwich, RI, and I am married to Theresa Butziger, a Professional Geologist and
Environmental Consultant. We have three children: Kathryn Butziger, who is a Freshman at
Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) majoring in computer science and a sprinter on the track
team; Graham Butziger, a Junior at East Greenwich High School and a football player/track and
field athlete; and Devon Butziger in eighth grade at Cole Middle School who plays piano,
referees soccer and loves reading and mathematics. I have authored two books, both historical
fiction/fantasy novels, both available on Amazon in both written and audiobook form. I hold/am
named on several patents relating to medical devices for cardiology and therapeutic drug
delivery. I love to read and write, spend time with my family and friends, and study new topics.

T am probably one of the most qualified people to speak on David’s behalf, being his
brother and having grown up with him, and remaining close with him to this day. We have
known each other all of our lives, and we have been close for all that time. We are together for
every holiday, we vacation together, we spend a lot of time together, and he’s been an integral
part of our family both when we were kids and now with my wife, our children, my parents, and
our extended family. We are all together very often, and we are blessed to live close enough to
one another such that distance does not keep us apart.

Of course, I love my brother, but I can also speak to his contributions to the community,
to his character and loyalty, to his never-ending willingness to lend a hand (to a fault), and to his
incredible value to those around him. But first one must understand his complexities and
composition.

In high school he formed a library club and devoted hundreds of hours to helping the
library develop systems to better manage resources. In fact, in this early age of computers, he
helped quite a few teachers understand and set up technology simply because he was interested
in it and because he couldn’t say “no” to someone in need.

He was a finalist in the school science fair and was an exhibitor at the State Science fair,
and he was on the wrestling team. He played oboe in the orchestra and in several woodwind
groups, including in a quintet with me playing the French Horn. We won many music
competitions in the orchestra together, including an international competition in Montreal, and
#: 171

we were both in All-State band/orchestra. He was always one of the top oboists in the Solo and
Ensemble competitions in the state. Throughout high school and beyond he helped my father and
others working as a mate on several fishing boats at Point Judith, getting up early, cutting up
bait, setting lines, filleting fish, keeping the customers happy, then cleaning the boat upon return
to the docks, finally returning home at night, exhausted. He was, and is, one of the hardest
workers you'll ever meet.

But luck has rarely shined on him, and despite all of the good he does for others, the
world doesn’t seem to reciprocate much, and sometimes people take advantage of him. As smart
as he is, he struggled in college trying to balance his engineering classes and his job as a resident
assistant. And as many highly intelligent people do, he dropped out before graduating. Still, he
managed to develop his interests and become very skilled at information technology, computer
networking, computer programming and hardware technology. Like many others in IT and
computer fields, his communication skills and ability to easily make new connections is muted.
He is generally quiet, and can sometimes have difficulty meeting new people. Despite this, he
has a loyal group of friends that appreciate all of the help he has given them — solving their
computer problems, helping them to repair their boats and hooking up networks in their homes —
help that is uncompensated but greatly appreciated. David would give the shirt off his back and
offer his skills to anyone in need.

He was married, and for a time it looked as though they might have children. But poor
luck struck again and their first child was still-born, and during this his wife almost lost her life
from a rare pregnancy disease. The second attempt led to a miscarriage, and ultimately the strain
on their marriage from these terrible events led to their divorce as well as his depression and
weight gain.

I believe it was sometime in 2008 that he opened his gymnastics facility (“Rise
Gymnastics”), which he ran for several years. This stemmed from the help he provided to a
family of gymnasts and gymnastics instructors who worked with him at a similar facility for
which he was providing IT and administrative services. This family worked and trained at that
facility: Hana Ricna, a famous gymnast who represented Czechoslovakia in the 1988 Summer
Olympics, her husband Lorin Jessen, a former gymnast and instructor, and their children David
Jessen, now an Olympian studying at Stanford and his sister, Sandra Jessen, who also competes
at Stanford now and with whom my daughter Kate trained for several years at David’s gym. At
the time Hana and Lorin’s family was not earning enough money working at the facility to make
a reasonable living despite David’s expression of their needs to the management. David
befriended the family, and, hoping to help build a business with them that would afford them
future opportunity, he formed a new gymnastics business and facility in which they were the lead
instructors and David was a part owner and manager. Ever willing to lend a hand, David would
often forgive fees for families in need, taking them in despite their financial needs so that their
kids could have a healthy outlet and learn a sport. Several parents worked at the gym and
donated time to offset fees because they couldn’t pay, but David still worked with their kids and
helped out when he could. David even tutored Hana and Lorin’s children in math and other
subjects while they trained at the gym. My daughter and son were both gymnasts at Rise, and
under Hana and Lorin’s tutelage, my daughter developed into a level 9 gymnast, befriending
Hana’s daughter, Sandra, along the way. The gym operated for five or six years, and quite a
#: 172

number of students grew into young athletes there, including Olympian David Jessen, Hana and
Lorin’s son.

But unfortunately, the economy took a downturn, and the recreational gymnastics
industry suffered terribly. He was forced to close the gym sometime between 2014 and 2015,
which was a horrible blow to David. He had loved working with the children and families, and
he felt like he had let them down. David remains close with the Jessen family and many of the
families that enjoyed training at the gym to this day.

Despite the closure of the gym he soldiered on, ever increasing his volunteer work with
the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 706 in Warwick, RI, and once again driven by his need to
help people. His love of the ocean and all things nautical led him to learn marine electronics such
as LORAN, radar systems, GPS, boat engine repair and marine networks, and he was able to
cobble together a career offering services to marinas and to boat owners around the country. He
also became highly trained in drug and alcohol testing through his involvement with the Rhode
Island Party and Charter Boat Association, and to this day offers his services as a contractor
along the eastern seaboard providing much-needed testing services for the marine trade industry
along with my Father.

But let me now tell you about some of the selfless help he has lovingly provided to my
family and me. David took in my children and trained them in gymnastics at his facility, which
gave them confidence and led to their athletics careers, including my daughter running track at
WPI and my son playing football and throwing javelin in high school.

David would help my kids with their homework and babysit whenever needed. He helped
my daughter Kate build her first computer, and drove up with her to Microcenter in
Massachusetts to help her select the components for her first computer build. He brought all
three of my kids to sites around RI and showed them how he set up networks, which helped my
daughter become interested in computer science. He continues to work on projects with her to
this day, building custom GPS systems and other JoT devices, David worked on a project with
my son, Graham, refurbishing a dinghy which he then used to teach Graham how to steer boats,
They scraped and painted the boat, repaired the engine and took it out many times on
Narragansett Bay so Graham could learn navigation. He taught Graham to use video processing
software and helped my youngest son, Devon, how to optimize his computer for his school and
recreational needs.

David has helped our family out countless times, giving advice and coming to our house
to assist with projects: he helped us relocate when we moved back to Rhode Island from New
Jersey, helped me fix several of our cars over the years, helped replace our windows, repaired
our stovetop, installed a network in our house to improve connectivity, helped my wife Theresa
time and time again with computer issues for her own business — the list goes on and on.

As you can see, David has a long history of helping people and is of great value to the
community, He has won several awards for volunteer work in several capacities for the Coast
Guard Auxiliary, including as acting Commander. Not only has he instructed students in safe
boating for many years, but he also fosters the safe boating community by participating in
#:.173

outreach programs, growing the Coast Guard Auxiliary, teaching and instructing, and by helping
maintain and remodel the Auxiliary Head Quarters at Masthead Marina in Warwick, RI. He
helps my parents on a daily basis around their house, and supports them in their needs, He has
supported people by providing employment in Rhode Island and forgiven debt for those in need
when they couldn’t pay. He constantly helps anyone in need, donating his time, knowledge or
hard work. He is truly a pillar of society and the community would suffer without him.

In conclusion, he is a good, honest, peaceful person who helps people whenever he can. It
would be an incredible loss to the community if he was taken away, even for a time, from all of
the volunteer work he does or from all of the support he provides to so many people. Our family
—my father and mother who also support the Coast Guard Auxiliary and the maritime drug
testing program, my wife, my children and I ~ would be devastated.

I humbly request on behalf of David, the community at large, and our family that David
be granted leniency, and I would be honored to speak on his behalf should the court request it.

Sincerely,

a 20/ 2020

John Butziger

65 Fernwood Drive

East Greenwich, RI 02818
862-432-0759
johnbutziger@gmail.com
#: 174

My name is Rosalind Green Butziger and | am the mother of David Butziger. | understand that
he is pending criminal prosecution in United States District Court for the District of Rhode
Island. | offer this statement for both the Court’s and government’s consideration when
disposing of this matter.

| was born in Rhode Island, as was my mother, and my grandmother. My grandfather was born
here as was my great grandfather. My family lived and worked in Rhode Island for generations.
| followed in my mother’s footsteps and became a school teacher and later department
chairperson of the science department at Narragansett High School. ! received my Bachelor’s
degree from The University of Rhode Island and later my Master’s degree in Education. | taught
full time in public school for almost thirty years. In the summer | did some work for the National
Science Foundation at Simmons College in Boston, and other summers | worked at a Naturalist
for the DEM at Fisherman’s Memorial Campground. | published articles for the DEM on marine
life in Rhode Island, published an article for the Annenburg Coalition on education, and
published an article in Chesepeake Science Journal. For several years | wrote a weekly column
in the Warwick Beacon on Boating and Marine Environment in Rhode Island.

David Butziger is the most kind and generous person | know. He helps everyone at great cost to
himself. When he ran RISE Gymnastics, many of the parents could not afford to pay and he took
in the children anyway. Both the gym and their summer camp were packed with kids attending
for free. He even stayed after classes to tutor kids who needed help in math. Needless to say,
his gym eventually went bankrupt.

He has his Captain’s license and is an outstanding boat handler. He has always worked on his
father’s charter fishing boat as mate and sometimes captain. He also puts this talent to work for
the Coast Guard Auxiliary doing safety patrols, towing in boats in distress, setting up safety
screens for events such as the Blue Angels Show etc. He also serves as Auxiliary crew at the
Block Island Boat Station several times during the summer. He does vessel safety checks and
shows boat owners how to be safe afloat. He puts in many hours teaching classes in navigation,
rules of the road, etc. All for free. He was elected commander of his Coast Guard Auxiliary unit
twice, and has received numerous awards.

Anyone needing help has only to call him and he will go to help them with their engine,
electronics, or whatever. He certainly is someone his father and | depend on. His father runs a
marine drug testing company, and when a call comes in for a long drive — sometimes Albany, NY
or Searsport, Maine, sometimes in a bad snowstorm, David goes so his father won’t have to
drive. We are both 77 years old, and David takes care of heavy work at home and on the boat
as well. He helps his niece with computer programs. His nephew is a special education learner
with anxiety issues, and David has great patience in helping him with computer and other skills.

David has been a boon to the community and his family, and we hope he can continue to serve.
#:175

Statement of support on behalf of David Butziger by
Priscilla Douglas PT

My name is Priscilla Douglas. | am a 62 year old woman from Fairhaven,
Massachusetts. | have been a Physical Therapist for 33 years, graduating from Hunter
College with a B.S. in Physical Therapy in 1987. Previously | had a B.A. in liberal arts
from Sarah Lawrence College graduating in 1980. In high school | was an honor student
at Dover-Sherborn Regional! High School in Dover, Massachusetts. As a P.T. | have
worked in inner city and regional hospitals, tertiary care centers, rehab centers,
homecare, and outpatient clinics. Currently | am employed at National Physical Therapy
in Fall River, Massachusetts. Over the years | have continued my education taking
numerous seminars including NICU work, manual therapies, and most recently Dry
Needling Techniques. My husband and | have been married for 22 years. He is a
neurologist in Fall River, MA We have 21 year old identical twin daughters. Our
daughter Jill is a junior at Westminster College in New Wilmington, PA. She has been
on the Dean’s list and had a 4.0 gpa last semester. She is majoring in psychology and
plans to attend law school. Her twin Madeleine is currently a psychology major through
Oregon State College’s online program while she works as a ballet dancer at Columbia
Classical Ballet in Columbia, South Carolina.

David Butziger and | became friendly when Jill, in 2012, joined the Rise Gymnastics
team in Coventry, RI. David was introduced as one of the owners of the gym. Being
over an hour away, | tended to stay at the gym quite a bit. During these times | noticed
that David was frequently helping the kids with their homework. | understood that at one
time he had taught math. David demonstrated patience and good humor when helping
them. He was able to explain things in multiple ways and seemed genuinely interested
in helping the kids understand their work. He was bright, friendly, and obviously cared
about the kids. In 2013 Jill began a homeschool program so she could do extra training
at Rise to try and become an elite gymnast. Eventually she made it to level 9. While |
helped her with her humanities studies before her first practice of the day at 10 am,
Dave took over doing the science and math with her in the afternoons. He was an
excellent teacher, helping an anxious and not always patient kid for whom science and
math did not come easily. | had no qualms about her being there with him at times
alone. From my daughter's reports and my own observations | saw Dave picking up kids
that didn’t have rides to get to the gym. He was often buying snacks for those kids that
were hungry. He also let some kids come to the gym whose parents were having a hard
time paying regularly. | believe this was in spite of it being a detriment to the business.
He was consistently kind and the kids liked him. When at travel meets, the coaches,
Dave, the kids, and some parents would often eat together. It was kind of like a big
family in many ways. Dave would also use his personal RV for special excursions with
the kids. Jill and | would, and still do socialize with the coaches and Dave outside of
gymnastics. Again, David is very bright, friendly, caring, interested, humorous, and fun
to talk with.
#: 176

David was also like a family member to the Jessen family. They were the lead
coaches at Rise. Hana Jessen was an Olympian for the Czech Republic and Lorin has
helped train past Olympic gymnasts. David actively tried to help them with their own
personal difficulties. Lorin Jessen has had many severe health issues over the years
and David was always there to help support the family in multiple ways, both
emotionally and practically. The Jessen’s son was becoming a future Olympian at that
time and | believe David was often instrumental in facilitating that process.

Also during the time at Rise, David was designing and implementing a new computer
program that would change how gymnastics scores were presented at meets. It made it
much easier for those watching the meets to see the scoring. My understanding was
that the ultimate goal was to make enough money from this venture that he would be
able to help the gym and the Jessens, not just himself.

Even during what became difficult and frustrating times at the gym, | never observed
David be mean, violent, or anything but professional. After the gym closed we continued
to have him tutor Jill with math. Jill wouldn’t be where she is today without David’s
perspective and help with school.

Recently Jill and | saw David. He seemed cognizant of his situation and remorseful.
It is my hope that from this statement that David can be better understood as someone
that is a person of heart and intelligence and deserving of leniency.

That you for your time,

Priscilla Douglas
#: 177

Leila M Hill

77 Beaver Avenue
Warwick, RI 02889
401.225.9817

July 30, 2020

My name is Leila M. Hill. David Butziger is a close friend and collaborator on many projects. |
understand that he is pending criminal prosecution in the United States District Court for the District
Court of Rhode Island. | offer this statement for both the court and the government’s consideration
when disposing of this matter. ,

iam the Communication and Graphic Design Coordinator at Children’s Friend, a large child welfare
agency based in Providence. I’ve been employed there for approximately 15 years.

| met David about six years ago. He was working in the IT department at Children’s Friend. One of my
responsibilities is to manage and update all things related to the website. For that reason, | often have
cause to work directly with members of our iT department. Working regularly with David, | discovered
that he has a fantastic work ethic and a wealth of knowledge. His patience when dealing with end users
was especially admirable. He taught several basic computer classes for employees while at Children’s
Friend, and they were very popular.

Even after David left Children’s Friend, we remained good friends. About four years ago, | became very
ill with necrotizing pancreatitis. It’s a severe, life-threatening condition that caused me to be in the
hospital for nearly two months and required major surgery. I’m single and have no family in Rhode
Island, and David knew that and jumped in to help.

David visited me every day in the hospital, even when | was in ICU. He took care of my dog and cat
while | was in the hospital. He helped me with all the paperwork involved in a lengthy hospital stay and
a medical leave. Once | was discharged, he drove me to doctor’s appointments and brought me
groceries. | can not imagine how | would have survived that period of my life without his help. And he
never asked for a single thing in return.

A couple of years ago, | bought a house that was very much a fixer-upper. To keep costs very low, David
offered his services as my general contractor. He refused to take any payment for the work, and he
spent a great deal of his own money on supplies and equipment.

I’m only one of many, many people that David helps regularly. He is very close to his family. He cares
for his elderly parents, is never too busy to help his brother, and even makes time to attend his niece
and nephew’s sporting events to cheer them on. He also has many, many friends he helps in a variety of
ways. His phone his always ringing with someone on the other end who has a technical question or
needs a favor or help.

| could write volumes about all the things I’ve seen him do for others.

| remember when | first became aware “Kurt Sanborn” or whatever his name is. David told me he’d
been doing some IT work for a man who owned a restaurant and that the man needed some graphic
design help with a new logo and menu, etc.
#: 178

| disliked “Mr. Sanborn” right away, but David and | often refer people to each other, so | gave him a
chance. | did a couple of projects for Mr. Sanborn, but working with him was unpleasant, and |
eventually refused any additional projects.

During this time, David was still overseeing work at my home, so | saw him very often. Over a few
months, he became more and more stressed, and he seemed exhausted all the time. | felt that Mr.
Sanborn was taking advantage of him. Instead of having many varied projects and people to help —
which is the norm for David — he was spending all his time at Mr. Sanborn’s beck and call.

David is such a kind, giving, caring person. | ask that you be lenient. | believe that David trusted the
wrong person. He made a mistake. | am positive nothing like this will ever happen again.

Sincerely,
Leila M Hill
#: 179

Statement of Support on Behalf of David Butziger by Charles Jenison

My name is Charles S Jenison and I am a long-time friend of David Butziger. I understand that
Mr. Butziger is pending a criminal prosecution in United States District Court for the District of
Rhode Island. I offer this statement for both the Court’s and government’s consideration when
disposing of this matter.

I was born in Rhode Island and lived in Warwick for 36 years where I purchased property,
married, and became a father before moving to Attleboro, Massachusetts for another 33 years.
During this time, I owned my own home in Warwick and Attleboro, owned and rented
apartments and an office building in Warwick for 40 years. I currently own and operate Newport
Yacht Charters in Newport, Rhode Island. My decades of working with tenants and charter
customers taught me how to grow a reputation, resolve issues, and provide a superior customer
relationship.

My relationship with David Butziger started decades ago as I was friends with his parents, Roz
and Nick Butziger. Roz and Nick had two sons, John, and David. I became more friendly with
David Butziger as his interests and mine were more aligned. David became a member of the
Coast Guard Auxiliary decades ago as did I. The Coast Guard Auxiliary is a volunteer
organization which extends the influences, education, and boating safety features of the United
States Coast Guard. David and I have been Coast Guard Auxiliary members for over 25 years.
Over the years, David became Flotilla Commander in charge of over 50 volunteer members. As
Flotilla Commander, David guided, instructed, and managed a volunteer team of Auxiliarist with
excitement, professionalism, and comradery. He led with honesty, integrity, and a devotion to
duty as I had personally witnessed. I have worked countless missions on and off the water with
David. At no time did David compromise his position in any negative manner. David volunteers
his time to promote boating safety for and to the public without asking, without hesitation, and
without reward.

In 2013 I was voted by the membership to become the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla
Commander. The event drew 135 members of the general public and highest officials of the
Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary. David Butziger volunteered to organize this event. He
asked for volunteers to which many stepped forward. He created the event brochure, selected,
cooked, and served the buffet meal, managed the bar, and cleaned up with his team of volunteers.
Without a great respect for and admiration of David Butziger, nobody would have volunteered to
help.

Ihave taught boat safety classes on numerous occasions alongside David. Without question, he is
an expert in all things nautical, explains boating details to the public with respect, patience, and
sincerity. I have witnessed on many occasions David extending a great deal of patience and
kindness in working with the boating public. David has a kind heart and will help anyone who
asks. He is a trusted friend to all who know him.

To the persons or Judge that deals with this case, I ask a question please. Where is our justice
system most benefited; to teach a lesson for society to witness so fear my rule, or perhaps see the
#: 180

countless good deeds and helpful heart of a good person? I ask for leniency for Mr. David
Butziger because I believe he learned his lesson. Any further embarrassment or punishment will
serve no societal purpose and greatly lesson his ability to care for his elderly parents to which he
lives with. Thank you for your consideration of such an important matter to David, his parents,
and all who have known David throughout his entire life.

Sincerely,

Capt. Charles S Jenison

3 Level Acres Road

South Attleboro, MA 02703
857-998-1337
Cjenison34@icloud.com
#: 181

Statement of Support on Behalf of David Butziger by David Jessen

My name is David Jessen and | am a friend of David Butziger for the past 13 years. | understand
that Mr. Butziger is pending criminal prosecution in the United States District Court for the District of
Rhode Island. | offer this statement for both the Court’s and government’s consideration when disposing
of this matter.

| was born in Brno, Czech Republic in 1996, but lived practically my whole fife in the United
States. Having a Czech mother and an American father, | was granted dual citizenship. Since birth, | have
lived in multiple states, including Florida (1997-1999), Connecticut (1999-2007), Rhode Island (2007-
2014), Florida (2014-2015), Pennsylvania (2015-2016), and California (2016-2020). | completed most of
my education in Rhode Island but received my high school diploma from Plantation High School in
Plantation, Florida in 2015. | earned a Bachelor of Science in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental
Biology from Stanford University this past June of 2020. Since | was a little boy, my life revolved around
competitive gymnastics. My mother, Hana Ricna-Jessen, was a two-time Olympic gymnast from former
Czechoslovakia (1984, 1988). My father got involved in the sport while he was stationed in Germany for
the U.S. military, and has coached ever since. My parents met in Florida, got married, and had me soon
after. Having both parents so involved in gymnastics, | essentially grew up in the gym and fell in love
with the sport. My parents worked in many gyms and even had two gyms of their own (one in
Connecticut and one in Rhode Island), thus explaining why we have moved so much as a family. | started
competing in 2004 under Conn-Quest Gymnastics (my parents first gym in Connecticut). | have accrued
countless accolades at the state, regional, and national jevels. In 2009, | made the U.S. Junior National
Team for the first time and kept my spot for about 5 years. In 2015, | decided to give up my spot on the
U.S. National Team and pursue competing for the Czech Republic, thanks to my dual citizenship. As a
result, | have competed at several international competitions, including European Championships
(Montpellier 2015, Berne 2016), European Games (Baku 2015}, University Games (Taipei City 2017},
World Cups (Doha 2018, Szombathely 2019, Paris 2019), World Championships (Glasgow 2015, Montreal
2017, Stuttgart 2019), and the Olympic Games (Rio de Janeiro 2016). At the World Cup in Doha 2018, |
created a new skill forever branding my name in the sport — “The Jessen”, performed on the pommel
horse. | have also been the Czech National Champion for gymnastics for 4 of the past 5 years (injured in
2018). In addition to my international gymnastics career, the sport has blessed with a full scholarship to
Stanford University, where | competed on the Stanford Varsity Men’s Gymnastics team for the past 4
years. While at Stanford, | competed at every NCAA Championships (except for this past year due to the
COVID-19 pandemic), helping my team earn 4" place finishes in 2017 and 2018 and a 1“ place finish in
2019. Our NCAA Championship victory in 2019 beat the third longest winning streak in NCAA history,
which was held by the Oklahoma Men’s Gymnastics team. | also earned All-America honors on the
horizontal bar at this NCAA Championships, placing 4"". During my time on the team, | have earned 6
Stanford Men’s Gymnastics Superlative Awards, including Most Innovative (2017-2020), Hardest Worker
{2019), and the Stanford Award (2020), which is given to the team member who best embodies the
ideals of a Stanford student-athlete and citizen. Other awards and honors that | have earned include
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Conference All Academic Scholar-Athlete (2018-2020), College
Gymnastics Association First Team All-America Scholar-Athlete (2017-2020), CoSIDA Academic All-
#: 182

America Award (2020}, and being a 2020 Nissen-Emery Award Finalist, which is the equivalent to the
Heisman Trophy of Men’s Gymnastics. | am currently in the first reserve spot to compete in the Tokyo
Olympic Games, which is to be held next summer of 2021. Aside from my gymnastics career, | have
worked a couple jobs and have been active in the community. | have worked as a gymnastics coach at
RISE Gymnastics (Coventry, Rl), TAG USA Gymnastics (Weston, FL), Parkettes Gymnastics (Allentown,
PA), and Stanford Boys Gymnastics (Stanford, CA). | have most recently worked at Stanford Boys
Gymnastics, where | helped coach recreational and team level boys ranging from 5-18 years old. |
continue to work with some of these boys and giving them private strength and conditioning lessons
during the pandemic via Zoom. | have worked as a gymnastics summer camp coach and counselor for
the ASU women’s gymnastics program, Stanford women’s gymnastics program, and Stanford men’s
gymnastics program. | have worked as a note taker for the Office of Accessible Education at Stanford for
people with disabilities. | also have worked as a Field Conference Assistant and front desk manager for
Stanford Residential and Dining Enterprises (2018). | have volunteered at several organizations,
including the Lane Surgery Center at Stanford Health Care, Heart and Home (organization providing
shelter for homeless women), Servant Breakfast {making and serving breakfast for the Opportunity
Center in Palo Alto on Friday mornings), and more. Furthermore, | have conducted undergraduate
research in the Giocomo Lab in the neurobiology department at Stanford for the past two years.
Currently, | am applying to medical school for the fall of 2021. During my gap year, | plan to work as a
medical assistant and continue my gymnastics training. Finally, | have a younger sister, Sandra Jessen,
who is also a high-level gymnast and will be attending Stanford University as a freshman this fall of 2020.

| first met David Butziger in 2007 {when | was 10 years old) when my family moved from Rhode
Island to Connecticut. We moved to Rhode Island after my parents closed their gym down in
Connecticut (Conn-Quest Gymnastics) and got employment at another gym called Aim High Gymnastics
Academy. David occasionally went into the gym to help with IT-related issues because of his tremendous
knowledge of computers and technology. Since then, my family has grown extremely close to David and
his family. He even offered us to stay in his then recently deceased grandmother's house, which is
where we stayed for our entire residence in Rhode Island. David would come over to our house multiple
times during the week to spend the evening with us. When my parents decided to open a new
gymnastics business, they took on David as a business partner and together they created RISE
Gymnastics. David became an essential figure in my growth to becoming an adult. He was there for me
for any personal need when | could not go to my parents. David drove me to and from school. He drove
me to and from gymnastics practices and competitions, even ones that were over 10 hours away. He
helped me with my schoolwork, helped me obtain my driver’s license, and taught me how to fish and
drive a boat. | even joined David at the Coast Guard Auxiliary in teaching the public on boating safety
initiatives including education training and examinations. Most importantly, David was crucial in my
education. He tutored me essentially every day and pushed me to learn far beyond the expectations of
my high school. He greatly increased my knowledge of chemistry, physics, mathematics, biology, and
more. He even continued to help me over the phone while | was at Stanford whenever | was stuck
academically and personally. | interacted with David in person every day for my entire stay in Rhode
Island, as well as long after that over the phone. If | did not see David at the gym, then | saw him at
home. If | did not see David at home, then | spoke with him over the phone. David was essentially a third
#: 183

parent to me growing up and | could not have achieved the successes nor become the individual that |
am today if it were not for David.

i believe that | am a rightful person to speak on behalf of David’s moral character because of my
daily interaction with him for the past 13 years. | have never seen David act hostile towards another
human being, and he has been nothing short of a kind, respectful, selfless, pleasant, and exceptional
person. David has done nothing but help me whenever or wherever | needed it. Being as busy of a man
as he was, | always found it commendable how David would help me with anything because he could
have always been doing something else. He did so, however, because he saw it as the right thing to do
and acted out of the kindness of his heart. It was never just our family that he acted this way towards
either. He treated numerous others with the same respect as he did to us and he would consistently
have a positive influence on the people around him. For example, every child at RISE Gymnastics saw
David as someone who would care for them, and | have witnessed this firsthand. Whether someone
succumbed to an injury or was emotionally distressed, | saw David ease and take care of him or her with
such an unwavering compassion because he genuinely cared for that person’s well-being. Moreover,
David was the epitome of a people’s person, concerning himself with their daily lives. | particularly
appreciated David’s honestly and how he always told things as they were. He never sugar-coated
anything and was extremely down to earth. He was never manipulative nor ever intended to cause harm
to anyone. David had only the best intentions for everyone that he interacted with and committed
himself to achieving that. That being said, | see David as a betterment to society for everything that he
brought to the table. He is hardworking, tenacious, and committed to leaving a positive impact on
society. At the end of the day, David’s goal was to make people happy. | have seen David put a smile on
everyone’s face time and time again. David is an extremely important person in my life, and | owe him
the world for being the mentor and role model that he has been to me. | believe that David will always
do the morally right thing because that has always been his personality and | am confident that it will
continue to be his personality. | do not see David’s future contribution to society as being anything but
meaningful and fruitful.

David Butziger should be given leniency for the remarkable person that he is. | genuinely believe
that David only had the best of intentions and never meant to cause any harm. | am in full support of
David Butziger and testify to his unwavering character and integrity.

David Jessen
#: 184

Statement of Support on Behalf of David Butziger by Lorin Jessen

My name is Lorin Thorton Jessen and I am a friend of David Butziger. I understand that
Mr. Butziger is pending criminal prosecution in United States District Court for the District of
Rhode Island. I offer this statement for both the Court’s and government’s consideration when
disposing of this matter.

I was a born on October 14", 1956 in Danbury, Connecticut. I lived in multiple places
growing up, including Utah, Maine, and Massachusetts. I went to Holyoke High School in
Holyoke, Massachusetts, played football for four years, and graduated in 1975. I attended
Holyoke Community College, where I earned an Associates Degree in art education in 1977.
Soon after, I enlisted in the military and was stationed in Wertheim, Germany, where I served for
two years. While in the military, I received a recognition award for my work with the German
community and the children on post. Throughout this time, I got involved doing gymnastics at a
club in Wertheim (started when I was 19 years old). Gymnastics was something that I always
wanted to do growing up but never had the opportunities or resources as a kid. After spending
about four years in Europe, I moved back to the United States and brought back my love for
gymnastics with me. I started in Massachusetts, then Utah, and then California, and taught
gymnastics at local gyms along the way. I got my first full time job as a gymnastics coach at
Kathy Rigby’s Gymnastics in Mission Viejo, California. Since then, I have coached at several
gyms, including SCATS Gymnastics in Mission Viejo, Irvine School of Gymnastics in Irvine,
and my own gym, Orange County Gymnastics Academy in Orange County. In California, I met
my ex-wife, Evelyn Andre, and we have two children: Lorin Pierre Andre was born in 1982
(currently 38 years old) and Celine Andre was born in 1987 (currently 32 years old). After
selling my own gym, I moved to Florida, where I met my wife, Hana Ricna-Jessen. We got
married in 1995 and together we have two children: David Jessen was born in 1996 (currently 23
years old) and Sandra Jessen was born in 2002 (currently 17 years old). Hana and I coached
together at Sunfire Gymnastics in Stuart and then Abba Gymnastics in Deland. We then moved
to Connecticut to be closer to my mother. There, we worked for Patti Dunne’s School of
Gymnastics in Hebron and then opened our own gym, Conn-Quest Gymnastics in Colchester.
After seven years, we had to close our gym, and then we moved to Rhode Island. In Rhode
Island, Hana and I coached at Aim High Academy of Gymnastics in East Greenwich and then we
opened another gym called RISE Gymnastics in Coventry. After six years, we closed RISE
Gymnastics because of my health status. During the military, 1 contracted Hepatitis C and have
chronic liver disease as a result. I am currently on a liver transplant list. My family and I moved
to Sunrise, Florida for one year, where my wife worked for TAG USA Gymnastics in Weston.
We then moved to Allentown, Pennsylvania, where my wife worked for Parkettes National
Gymnastics Training Center in Allentown for the last five years. She was recently laid off from
Parkettes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the past six years while my wife continued to
coach gymnastics, I had to stop because of my condition. I began driving Uber and Lyft in 2018.
Unfortunately, I also had stop working because of the pandemic. My first son, Lorin, worked in
Cirque du Soleil and is currently a Registered Nurse in Henderson, Nevada. My first daughter,
Celine, graduated from the University of Central Florida and currently works as an Event
Director for Vid Con. My second son, David, is a recent graduate from Stanford University and
is aspiring to go to medical school. My second daughter, Sandra, just graduated from high school
and will be attending Stanford University in the fall.
#: 185

My wife and I first met David in 2007 at Aim High Gymnastics Academy, where he
helped run computers and other technology for the business. We moved to Rhode Island to work
at our new job, but we had yet a place to live. That is when David offered his grandmother’s old
house for us to stay in. This is when I first got to know David as a genuinely nice person because
although we had never before met, he gave us a place to stay, thus making our lives much easier.
We ended living in that house for about seven years before moving to Florida, and we interacted
with David daily. Whether it was in the gym or at our new house, we frequently spend time with
David and became incredibly good friends. Aside from being friends, my wife and I became
business partners with David when we opened RISE Gymnastics. My wife and I took care of
everything in the gym, while David handled the front desk and business end of things. I have
owned and co-owned many gyms in the past, but I was fortunate to have David as a business
partner because he made everything run smoothly and our clientele loved him as a person. He
was the most cordial and amiable person a business partner could ask for in running a gymnastics
facility. Our family traveled with David numerous times over the years. We went to my
children’s competitions together, we went to our gymnasts’ competitions together, and even went
on vacations together. Moreover, we spent many holidays and gatherings with David and his
family. For example, we spent a Thanksgiving at his parent’s house and a Fourth of July at his
brother’s house. We have been on David’s boat several times, and he taught us about boating and
fishing. Even after moving from Rhode Island, my wife and I have been in close contact with
David, even to this day. We have created a friendship with David that will last forever.

It has been 13 years now since knowing David Butziger, and he has been nothing short of
a spectacular person in my eyes. He is loyal, honest, selfless, and respectful. David has always
been there for my family whenever we needed it. He has helped my children with schoolwork
and driving them to competitions and practices. He has helped my wife and I with computer
work, writing letters and business documents, moving, and countless other tasks. He has helped
the other gymnasts at our gym with schoolwork as well. He has helped set up and tear down
equipment at various competitions that we went to as a team. He has helped run the scoring
systems at various competitions too. If there was ever a technical problem at a competition,
David was always the first to fix it. This is just a miniscule list of the favors that David has done
for other people. I have nothing but the highest impressions of David because of all that he did
and continues to do for other people. My relationship with David means a lot to me because he is
only one of a few people that I can honestly trust with my personal matters. Because of my
health status, I have been in and out of the hospital numerous times, and J could always count on
David for being there for both me and my family whenever we were going through a difficult
time. Despite having personal matters of his on that he constantly preoccupied with, David still
finds time to help us and others because he genuinely cares about the well-being of others. In my
opinion, a person like that is hard to come by. David is a calm, easy-going, peaceful, and
nonviolent person, who is also committed to hard work and the betterment of society. David is a
role model to the community, and I have no doubt that he will continue to contribute positively
to society.

Please grant David Butziger leniency. I am in full support of David and believe that he
has nothing but the best intentions in the lives of everyone around him, David is truly a person of
remarkable charisma, integrity, and morale.
#: 186

Lorin Thorton Jessen
#: 187

Statement of Support on Behalf of David Butziger by Sandra Jessen

My name is Sandra Jessen and I am a friend of David Butziger. I understand that Mr.
Butziger is pending criminal prosecution in United States District Court for the District of Rhode
Island. I offer this statement for both the Court’s and government’s consideration when
disposing of this matter.

I was born in Norwich, Connecticut in August of 2002. I lived in Connecticut until 2007
and then moved to Rhode Island from 2007-2014, Florida from 2014-2015, and Pennsylvania
from 2015-now. I recently graduated from Parkland High School in Allentown Pennsylvania,
and plan to attend Stanford University in the fall. My mother is from former Czechoslovakia, so I
have dual citizenship with the United States and Czech Republic. I have done gymnastics as long
as I can remember. My mom competed for former Czechoslovakia in the 1984 and 1988
Olympics. My father did gymnastics when he was stationed in Germany for the military. They
both are gymnastics coaches, and I practically grew up in the gym. My brother, David, competed
in the 2016 Rio Olympics as well. I recently started competing for Czech Republic in 2019, and
competed in a World Cup in Paris, France, and the World Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.
At Stanford, I will be competing on their gymnastics team, where I hope to add to my successes.

I met David when I was 5 years old. He was associated with the gymnastics school that
my parents moved to Rhode Island to work at. Soon later, they opened their own gym, and David
became my parents business partner. He essentially became part of our family, and plays a key
role in many of my childhood memories. David always did anything and everything to help our
family, and we are endlessly grateful.

Whenever I had the slightest bit of trouble in school, David was there to help me in
whatever I needed. He is extremely intelligent, and always explained everything in a way where
I could retain the information, rather than cramming it and forgetting it after the test. Even once
we moved from Rhode Island, David would help me over the phone when I would have trouble,
He would always drop what he was doing and help me understand the material, in a way that a
lot of teachers could not. I have David to thank for an abundance of my successes in school, and
I believe he was a big help for getting me into Stanford as well. When I was applying to
Stanford, my future gymnastics coach told me to have a few people read over my essays, people
who would give me honest and helpful feedback. The first person I had read them was David,
because I hold so much trust in his opinion, and knew that if he thought the essays were adequate
then I would be in good shape. David is incredibly loyal, and would never give up on anyone if
they were in need of help. He always supported me in my gymnastics, and even helped me set up
my youtube channel so I could start my recruiting process and get my name out there for
colleges. I love David’s family, and grew up being best friends with his niece. We did
gymnastics together, and grew very close because of it. He always showed so much compassion
#: 188

for her, along with the rest of his family. David is a big role model for me. He has always taught
me to try my best in everything, work smart, and enjoy every experience possible. I try my best
to always help others when in need, and make everything I do count. David is a very peaceful
person, and I have never seen him ever be violent. He is quite easygoing, and always tries to
solve conflicts in a diplomatic way.

David Butziger should be granted leniency because he is an amazing person who always
helps others no matter what. He has shaped me into the person I am, and I am endlessly thankful
for all the valuable lessons he has taught me. I believe that he always has the best intentions in
mind. I fully support David Butziger and testify to his kind-hearted character.
#: 189

Lawrence R, Oleary Jr.
State Constable badge #6177
Licensed Private Investigator

. U.S.C.G., Auxiliary
Master 100 ton U.S.C.G Captain
Infragard member
PO Box 1702
North Kingstown, RI 02852
401-867-0009

June 30, 2020

My name is Lawrence R. O’Leary Jr. and I am a friend and have worked with David Butziger.
I understand that he is pending criminal prosecution in the United States District Court for the District Court of
Rhode Island. I offer this statement for both the court and the government's consideration when disposing of
this matter.

Iam a RI State Constable, Private Investigator, War Veteran, Boat Captain, Coast Guard Auxiliarist,
and Infragard member responsible for the safety and care of our people and government. I am currently mostly
retired; however, I still do consulting and Pro Bono work for cases. Such as child abuse, animal abuse, MAD
and human trafficking to name a few. Before my retirement, I was the Special investigations unit supervisor and
lead investigator for Blackstone Valley Special Investigations Unit responsible for 29 agents. I have always
provided my service to those who need it and the protection of our country. I currently do volunteer work with
Infragard and account to the FBI and-Homeland Security office in Boston as a Rhode Island member. I grew up
in Rhode Island and served two tours in Viet Nam. I am educated on many college levels that are too expansive
to waste the reader's time here with too many intimate details. Briefly, I am a Black belt martial arts instructor,
healer spiritual counselor etc.. Schools, RI College, CCRI, LaSalle University, School of Natural Healing, RI
School of Electronics, several art Academy's. I have always enjoyed education and knowledge. My most recent
study was under the guidance of Mr. Butziger as myself and several of my friends studied to be members of the
U.S.C.G. Auxiliary. He spent many hours of his time training us. The quality and patients he has is exemplary,
both in formal teaching and application to the knowledge as a mentor. I have also been a teacher on many levels
myself so to see this in another I consider my judgment to be of a high caliber.

I met David about four years ago. Liwas the building manager of Quonsett Davisville Yacht Club and
before that, I was the Security Manager. David was one of the vendors supplying our facility with a quote for
our wi-fi service. A contract was signed, and I worked with him and his team for months as he set up and fine-
tuned our docks for service. He was always a pleasure to work with and did not know how to say no to anyone
who asked for his help. Whether it was to help get their car started or troubleshoot a boat problem or train new
boaters on how to use their boats and do safety inspections for them. He never charged for his services to help
others. I asked’ him why he never turned down anyone who was in trouble, and he said he just cannot say no
when he can help. I admired his genuine caring personality, and we became friends. Since that day he has
helped numerous folks and trained many of my fellow boaters to be members of the U.S.C.G. Auxillary.

I have since worked with David on serval jobs, one of which was to transport a boat from Canada to
RI for two weeks. I spent those two weeks with him constantly. He would always be on the phone taking care of
people back home and his business operations. During this time, I watched him handle people and boat issues
and never lose his temper or get upset and anyone. Always the professional even in some stressful situations.
Again, wherever we went if someone needed help, either with their boat or carrying something he would step
right up to the plate. His heart is very kind. His honesty is extremely sincere, I have trusted him with my
valuable possessions and cash without any concern. I had to put money in his pocket several times because he
would not accept payment for helping me with very shydieely demanding repairs on my boat. Always the
consummate professional in my eyes. He has always been loyal to me and his friends especially his family.
David is a family man who lives with his parents and helps them extensively with things that they cannot do. He
will stop what he is doing in a heartbeat if anyone is in trouble doing something or something breaks and go to
their rescue. He spread himself thin because he does so much, I remember when he first met the man who is
also is charged in his case. His parents own the lot where this guy was going to put in a restaurant. David was
going to supply the wi-fi service for the place. This is his business. I met them because Dave knew that I was an
artist and that I may want to do murals there. I did not like the man after meeting him, so I declined. The man
was looking to get construction etc. things done, and Dave volunteered to help him. After a while, Dave was
under that man's thumb metaphorically because of his good nature. I noticed that Dave was tired all of the time
and seemed stressed. I informed him that he was doing too much and was worried about him. Since then, I call
David, or he calls me almost daily. He checks on my health, and I check on his. He is a very kind, considerate,
generous man that can easily be taken advantage of because of his kind heart. I saw that happening to him.

I am all about being 100 percent legal and have never observed or been told that David did or was involved in
any activity that would be considered illegal. He was the Commander of our Coast Guard Auxiliary and that
requires government clearance. He is a proud member and unselfishly gives his time to all. David has a special
needs nephew that he takes on jobs with him and teaches him how to use tools. This young man looks up to
David. He is a very close family man who is active daily in his family’s needs.

During my friendship with David, I contracted cancer which is still being cared for. I had gotten sick
from infection in surgery, spent time in nursing homes, and just finished massive radiation last year. I live alone
with a service dog now. David would call me daily to see how I am and if I needed anything. He would drive
me to doctor appointments, bring me food, and help with things that I was not able to do. I did not ask him he
just did it.

David has been a role model for many and continues to do so. He is a hard-working productive
member of society. If Dave were to not be able to continue with the things that he does many people including
me would suffer. His kind counsel has helped me through much pain and his physical help for me in tough
situations has been such a blessing in my life and health.

Davis passionately talks about how he helps so many young gymnasts by volunteering his time to run
the scoreboards, do the announcements and help them to get to the Olympics. He travels all over the country
and sets up the stadium area and large screen boards for entire weekends. He donates time and money to these
teenage athletes. They would suffer so much if he was no longer able to help them.

David does so much for so many without compensation, I ask that you be lenient. His safety and boat
training is so necessary as untrained boaters die every day from accidents and poor boating skills. His donation
to the children in gymnastics, His dedication to his Elderly parents, family, and his special needs nephew are so
relevant in his life that they need him. In my opinion, this man made a mistake and was misguided by a career
criminal and that he will be more cautious with this type of person for the rest of his life. In my profession, I
read people fast and I will certainly pass along that skill to David. I have seen many criminals in my profession
and in no way does David fit that mold. I strongly believe that this lesson will be burned into his heart forever.
#: 191

Statement of Support on Behalf of David Butziger by Hana Ricna

My name is Hana Ricna-Jessen and I am friend of David Butziger. I understand that Mr.
Butziger is pending criminal prosecution in United States District Court for the District of Rhode
Island. I offer this statement for both the Court’s and government’s consideration when
disposing of this matter.

I was born December 20", 1968 in Brno in former Czechoslovakia (present day Czech
Republic). I got married to Lorin Jessen in October, 1995 in Florida. We have 2 children: David,
who was born in 1996 (currently 23 years old), and Sandra, who was born in 2002 (currently 17
years old). David just graduated from Stanford University and is currently applying to medical
school and Sandra just graduated from high school and will be attending Stanford University this
fall as a freshman. I attended Komensky University in Bratislava, Slovakia and earned a master’s
degree in physical education and sport. Aside from schooling, I did artistic gymnastics for 16
years. During my gymnastics career, I competed in numerous international competitions and
traveled all over the world. I was on the Czechoslovakian National Team and was a 6-time
Czechoslovakian National Champion. I went to two European Championships: 1983 in
Goteborg, Sweden, where I made the finals on uneven bars and floor, and 1985 in Helsinki,
Finland, where I took 2™ place on the balance beam and 4" place in the all-around, uneven bars,
and floor. I competed in two World Championships: 1983 in Budapest, Hungary, where I placed
24 on the balance beam, and 1985 Montreal, Canada, where I placed 3" on the uneven bars and
8" in the all-around. I also qualified for two Olympics: 1984 in Los Angeles, USA and 1988 in
Seoul, South Korea. Unfortunately, my country boycotted the Los Angeles Games, so most of
the communist countries had our own “Alternate Games”, where I placed 2" in the all-around
and balance beam. I had two shoulder surgeries prior to the Seoul Games, so my performance
was not as good as I had hoped, but I still managed to make a final in the all-around. During my
gymnastics career, I earned the “Deserved Master of Sports” Award, which is the most
prestigious award given to an athlete of any sport. After my gymnastics career, I earned the title
of Brevet Judge, which is the highest judging position in artistic gymnastics (ability to judge at
the Olympic Games). In addition to judging, I also started to coach and became the Czech Junior
National Team Coach for about two years. In 1995, I moved to the United States, where I met
my husband, and we have coached together ever since. I first started coaching with my husband
at Sunfire Gymnastics in Stuart, Florida and then Abba Gymnastics in Deland, Florida. We then
moved to the New England area and got a job coaching at Patti Dunne’s School of Gymnastics in
Hebron, Connecticut. Soon after, we opened our own gym, Conn-Quest Gymnastics in
Colchester, Connecticut, which we owned for seven years before to moving to Rhode Island. In
Rhode Island, we first worked for Aim High Gymnastics Academy in East Greenwich and then
we opened our own gym, RISE Gymnastics in Coventry. We owned RISE for six years and had
to close the business when my husband got sick and was put on disability for Hepatitis and
chronic liver disease. From Rhode Island, we moved to Sunrise, Florida and I started working for
TAG USA Gymnastics in Weston. After not liking it for a year, I was recruited by Parkettes
National Gymnastics Training Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania, where we currently live
today. I was recently let go from Parkettes due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

My husband and I first met David Butziger in 2007 when we moved to Rhode Island.
David helped with computers and electronics at Aim High Gymnastics Academy, where my
#: 192

husband and I worked at the time. We became very good friends. He offered his grandmother’s
house to us and we stayed there for the seven years that we were in Rhode Island. He essentially
became part of our family because he had no wife (got divorced) or kids of his own. We saw and
interacted with David practically every day. He frequently came over to visit, he helped the
children with homework, and he helped us whenever we needed it. When my husband and I
stopped working at Aim High, we teamed with David and opened RISE Gymnastics together.
We were all co-owners for the gym. While my husband and I took care of the physical coaching,
David took care of the technological and business aspect of things. We worked with David as
business partners until we had to close the gym (6 years), and it was nothing short of a fulfilling
and worthwhile experience. We traveled to numerous competitions as a team and we enjoyed
every minute of it. We when moved to Florida and then to Pennsylvania we were in touch with
David every day and we have a strong relationship with him to this day.

Throughout the 13 years of knowing David Butziger, I have observed him as always
holding a high moral standard for himself and everyone around him. He has always voluntarily
extended help to me and my family without ever asking anything in return. He was a tremendous
help for my children with tutoring, driving them to gymnastics practice and competitions, and
teaching them valuable life lessons. David frequently helped me with computer work, writing
legal documents (i.e. green card renewals, taxes, etc.) because of my language barrier, and
numerous other household tasks. We spent many holidays with David and his family as well. He
helped me when my parents and foreign friends would come to visit the United States. He was
our tour guide and showed us around many cities. He would take us on the boat and loved to
educate us on boating. However, his character was most showing when we worked together at
RISE gymnastics. He was mainly at the front desk and made everyone who walked in smile
because they loved his company. Everyone at the gym saw David as an easy-going person, who
always made people happy. David even helped the other gymnasts at the gym with their
schoolwork and they were always so appreciative of his help. He also helped us organize various
parties in the gym that the kids loved. At competitions, David often helped set up the scoring
system so that the parents in the stands can easily view the scores. There were many instances in
which the computers and scoring system would crash, and David was always first to fix the
problem. No one ever asked him to come restore the computers, but he did so because he knew
that it was the right thing to do and felt that he had a moral duty to do so. David is peaceful,
nonviolent, and would never do anything to hurt another person. I would consider David a role
model for the way he helps and treats others.

I fully support David Butziger and believe that he should be given leniency. I have faith

that David had nothing but the best intentions in mind and never meant to hurt anybody. Please
consider all that I have had to say because he is a truly a person of high character and morale.

Hana Ricna
Statement of Support on Behalf of pavid Butziger by Glenn Rosera

My name is Glenn Rosera and | am a longtime friend of David Butziger. | understand that Mr. Butziger is pending
criminal prosecution in United States District Court for the District of Rhode Island. | offer this statement for both the
Court’s and Government’s consideration when disposing of this matter.

lam a resident of Warwick since 7 years old. 1 grew up in this great state and married my high school sweetheart
34 years ago. We have two great sons, Rob who is 33 and graduated from NE Tech in electronics engineering tach.
Married with his own daughter and Chris who is 29 and served in the Marines. Chris graduated from the University of
MD with a bachelors degree in computer software development and a masters in cyber security. Chris Married with a
daughter. | have been a technician for Aramark for 10 years where | travel for work throughout New England. | have
been in the US Coast Guard Auxiliary for over 33 years. | have held many offices including Diversity, Safety, and Vice
Commander. | have spent countless hours service the coast guard and the community on boat patrols, public education,
and station augmentation. and have received numerous awards and citations for my work. | ama long standing member
of St. Kevin church in Warwick, where | assisted in confirmation teaching, running numerous fundraisers and social
events. | have been active in the school PTO in Warwick.

| met David through the Coast Guard Auxiliary in the 1980’s where he quickly became a friend and a mentor. He
showed me | could rely on him for both learning the skills for both my personal boating and training and assisting the
public. In the auxiliary we worked on many things together such as boating safety days, public education of the state
required training. Social event within the auxiliary and even events outside the auxiliary including one in particular. An
event David ran to showcase veterans from our area. In working with Dave and observing how he dealt with the public |
could always see that it always meant a lot to him to keep people safe while boating and overall to make people fee!
accepted and safe in our events. And it mattered to him that they were enjoying themselves.

| also am good friends with David’s Mom & Dad and it is very easy to see his respect for them. They have spent
their whole lives helping others through their teaching careers and their active roles in the coast guard auxiliary. They as
well as Dave are the kind of people you can go to and ask for their help and they will go above and beyond to do what
they can for you. | have never seen david turn anybody down who asked him for help in both within the auxiliary and
within the boating community. Always willing to go the extra mile,

Dave has been a good friend over the years. And | would trust him with anything | have or with any of my family
as far as keeping them safe. He is welcome to my home or to any of my family events at any time. He has always shown
to be truly respectful to other | would like you to consider leniency in this case for david. As | believe he is a genuine
asset to our community both now and in the future. | honestly believe that with his work in the auxiliary many people
have been kept safe and some lives have actually been saved through his actions.

Thank you for your time reading this information and allowing me to voice my opinions.

Glenn Rosera
#: 194

Charles K. Shallcross, Jr.
118 Blueberry Drive
East Greenwich, RI 02818

United States District Court
District of Rhode Island

Subject: Mr. David Butziger
Good morning Your Honor,

My name is Charles Kenneth Shallcross, Jr. and | am a friend and colleague of David
Butziger. | understand that Mr. Butziger is pending criminal prosecution in United States
District Court for the District of Rhode Island. | offer this statement for both the Court’s
and government's consideration when disposing this matter.

My sister and | were raised by a single mom in Cranston, RI at a time when single
parent households were rare. While our mother struggled, but never succeeded, to
bring us above the poverty level she also instilled in us a sense of value and moral
character. It is these core values that helped my sister and me to navigate through the
turbulent waters of life. We would be considered successful by almost any standard.

| attended St. Paul Elementary School, Park View Junior High and Cranston High
Schoo! East. My wife and | met in high school and began dating in our junior year. We
graduated in 1969 and upon graduation | was awarded two scholarships, the Cranston
Teachers Association’s Annual Scholarship and.the Parents Without Partners
Scholarship. We both attended the University of Rhode Island and we married just prior
to the start of our senior year. We graduated in 1973, each with a Bachelor of Science
Degree in Business Administration. My wife passed the exams for certification and has
had a long career as a Certified Public Accountant specializing in taxes. Shortly after
graduation | enlisted in the United States Air Force to fulfill my long-held ambition to
become a pilot. | first attended Officers Training School and was commissioned as a
Second Lieutenant before reporting for the USAF Undergraduate Pilot Training
program. The fifty-one-week program was intense, rigorous, and immensely satisfying. |
graduated with two awards, the “Outstanding Officer and Pilot” in the T-37 phase and
the “Outstanding Formation Pitot’ in the T-38 Phase. | was also informed by the class
instructors that | held the unofficial rank of number one in my class. The Viet Nam War
had just ended so | chose the C-141 to be my primary aircraft because of its peace time
mission. For the next seven years on active duty and almost.15 years in the USAF
Reserve | flew cargo and personnel all over the globe on behalf of the United States
Government. | flew strategic airlift, diplomatic, humanitarian, scientific, medical and war
time missions with some of the best people | have ever been associated with. | spent
the last few years as a Military Liaison with the Federal Emergency Management
Agency and was attached to the Rhode Island EMA. During this tour of duty, | single-
handedly created, wrote and published the Population & Facility Allocation Plan for the
State of Rhode Island, a copy of which is used as a training aid at the FEMA Academy
in Emittsburg, MD. | also received the USAF Commendation Award for my efforts. |
retired from the USAF Reserve in 1995. In addition to my military career, | also had a
#: 195

rewarding career in civil aviation. | worked for several airlines and held the positions of
Second Officer, First Office, Captain, Instructor Pilot/Captain, Check Pilot and FAA
Designated Examiner. | was also a volunteer in the Federal Flight Deck Officer program.
| retired in 2014 upon reaching the mandatory retirement age.

My wife and | are now in our 49th year of marriage and have been empty nesters for
more than a few years. Although we both had busy careers, we managed to raise a son
and daughter. We tried to instill in them the same core values that our parents taught us
and | am very proud to report that | believe we were successful. Both of our children
have beautiful families and successful careers of their own. Our son is the Vice
President of a small public relations firm, and our daughter is the senior Executive
Producer at WCBS in NYC.

After retiring | joined the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, and | am currently serving
as the Vice Flotilla Commander of the North Star Flotilla. It is through my association
with the Auxiliary that | met and became friends with David Butziger. The USCG
Auxiliary is an organization comprised of ordinary citizens who volunteer their time, and
in many cases their boats, to further the mission of the USCG. Activities that members
of the Auxiliary participate in include, but are not limited to, search and rescue missions,
aids-to-navigation inspections, vessel safety checks on private and commercial vessels,
bridge inspections, conduct boating safety courses for the public, provide aid to
distressed vessels, cook meals for active-duty personnel and stand watch at remote
locations so that the active duty folks can have some time off. David Butziger, along
with his father and mother, are charter members of the North Star Flotilla and it is
quickly apparent to any observer that David is one of the most experienced, productive,
and valuable members of our, or any, Flotilla. David’s accomplishments as a volunteer
are extraordinary. It is rare to go to any function of the Flotilla and not see David among
the participants. He has held almost all staff officer positions as well as Vice Flotilla
Commander and Flotilla Commander. He is the “go to “person whenever a difficult
situation arises, and he has been a mentor to me and many other members of the
Flotilla. | have observed David teach some of the more difficult subjects in our boating
safety courses. He is precise, thorough, and informative. He conducts the training in a
way that keeps the students focused and his critiques are always positive. | have never
observed David “bend the rules” or take short cuts. Some of the work we do in the
Auxiliary can be dangerous and requires strict compliance to safety protocols. David’s
many years of success is attributable to his attention to detail and adherence to those
protocols. (Please refer to the attached list of David's accomplishment and awards). As
a friend, David imparts the same selflessness he displays in the Flotilla. | was new to
boating when | met David and with his help, | quickly became comfortable in my
seamanship skills. On a personal level David is again the “go-to” guy whenever | have
an issue. When | have a mechanical problem, for example, David not only tells me how
to correct it but he goes down into the grease and grime of the bilge and shows me how
to correct the problem. There have also been occasions when | was not available, and
David would fix the issue himself. He was also the first person | turned to, to help me
bring my newly purchased boat from Florida to Rhode Island. His work in that endeavor
was invaluable and helped to make the trip a pleasurable experience. His navigation
skills and his knowledge of weather and sea conditions were precise and kept us out of
trouble. He never suggested or performed any action that would put us in jeopardy.
#: 196

| am asking the Court for leniency in the disposition of David’s case. His immense
participation in the USCG Auxiliary speaks volumes about his sense of civic duty. He is
an invaluable member of our Flotilla and any diminished participation by David would be
sorely felt. For example, David and his crew were standing watch on Block Island in
August 2017 when a call came in to the USCG for an emergency medical evacuation of
a patient in distress. It was very foggy that night, with visibility near zero, and the USCG
regulations prohibit their crews from operating their vessels at a speed sufficient for this
emergency. So, the USCG called upon David and his crew to perform the evacuation. A
short time later David and his crew expeditiously and safely delivered the patient to a
waiting ambulance in Pt. Judith, saving the person’s life. In 2018 David and his crew
received a Certificate of Achievement for the Auxiliarist with the Most Outstanding
Rescue of 2017. We in the Auxiliary pride ourselves in our training and ability to help the
boating community but there are very few of us who have the expertise, experience,
and equipment necessary to perform that lifesaving task. The world needs people like
David Butziger, people who are selfless in their attitude and devoted to volunteer
organizations like the USCG Auxiliary.

Thank you, Your Honor, for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,

Charles K. Shallcross, Jr.
#: 197

Summary of the Participation of David Butziger in the
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary”

2003-2016 |. 14 17.31
2005, 2017, 3 176.0
2019
‘010-2012, 6 ~~ | ~S 140.20. «| 28.37
| 2015-2017 | 6 : ts

2003 - 2020 18 160.2 8.9
2011 - 2020 10 | 4601.0 | 160.4 -
2007, 2009, 5 276.80 55.36
2017 - 2019
2003-2006 | 14 154.05 11.0
2010 - 2019
2003 - 2008 6 186.50 31.08

‘| 9004-2020 | 17 576.95 33.94
2003 - 2020 18 645.00 35.83
2003 - 2020 18 5439.41 302.19

With 18 years in the data base and 5,439.41 hours logged David averaged
302.19 hours of service per year. |

*Source: USCG Auxiliary AUXDATA II
#: 198

Awards Presented to David Butziger by the
United States Coast Guard Auxiliary*

Auxiliary Operations Service 2017, 2019 2
Auxiliary Public Education Service | 2004, 2007, 2015, 2016, 7
Tee So  2017;2018, 2019. |

Auxiliary Membership Service 2008, 2013, 2018 3

| Auxiliary Vessel Examiner 2004, 2005, 2016, 201 7, 5
| 2018
Sustained Auxiliary Service 2004, 2006, 2013, 2015, 6
2017, 2019
Marine Safety Training ; 2011 1
Recreational Boating Safety 2018 | 4
CG Meritorious Team Commendation =| —-2017, 2018 2
} Special Operations Service 7 2005 ) 1
Presidential Unit Citation | 9006 1
CG Unit Commendation 2009, 2014, 2019 3
~ Auxiliarist With the Most Outstanding Rescue | 2018 1
Total Awards | 37

*Source: USCG Auxiliary AUXDATA II

The following is a list of David Butziger’s USCG Auxiliary qualifications:”

Aid to Navigation Verifier
Boat Crew
Boat Crew Coxswain
Un-inspected Passenger Vessel Examiner
Marine Safety
Core Training
Instructor
Recreational Boating Safety
Vessel Examiner
*Source: USCG Auxiliary AUXDATA II
#: 199

Statement of Support on Behalf of David Butziger by Matthew J Ventura

My name is Matthew J Ventura of Saunderstown, RI and I am a friend of David Butziger.
I understand that Mr. Butziger is pending criminal prosecution in United States District Court for
the District of Rhode Island. I offer this statement for both the Court’s and government’s
consideration when disposing of this matter.

Iam a technology executive living in Saunderstown, RI with over 35 years’ experience in
the industry serving large financial institutions as well as experience in the higher educational
sector, as a senior technology manager and adjunct professor. I have been married for 20 years
and have a 17-year-old son who is preparing for college. I have attended the University of Rhode
Island where I received a degree in Computer Electronics Engineering (Electrical Engineering,
Computer Science and Digital Design) as well as an MBA in accounting and entrepreneurship,
In addition, I have continued education and have become industry certified in a number of
professional certifications, each requiring proof of numerous years of experience and a
comprehensive practical examination (PMP, CISSP, CGEIT, CSM, CTT, and others). I have
received the Feinstein Award for contributions to higher education. I have worked for large
financial institutions such as Bank of America, Royal Bank of Scotland / Citizens Bank, Fleet
Bank, and Santander in senior management positions requiring a high level of trust and attention
to strict regulation and consumer protection laws. I currently belong to a number of professional
organizations including the High-Tech Crime Investigations Association and InfraGard
(Department of Homeland Security and FBI).

I met Mr. Butziger about five years ago in a professional capacity. Mr. Butziger was
performing professional services for the boating club I belong to. My duty was to review the
technical services that Mr. Butziger was providing to ensure they met the needs of the club, were
cost effective, and were technically and functionally complete and viable. After meeting,
reviewing and discussing the proposal, I found Mr. Butziger and his proposal to be fair, honest
and professional. In the coming months I reviewed the installation and operation and found it to
be of high quality. Mr. Butziger’s service when called upon was professional, pleasant and more
than commensurate with industry standards.

After this initial interaction, I became friends with Mr. Butziger. He has always been a
tremendous help to my family and me in a number of ways. He has on many occasions helped
me with critical boating tasks when I was ill and physically unable to perform them. These offers
were always unsolicited. In every case he has refused payment for his services. I have learned
that Mr. Butziger is very involved with girls’ gymnastics where he is a coordinator, coach and
mentor. He also assists with a nephew who is challenged by including him on some of his
working tasks in order to help socialize him. I have witnessed this and observed that Mr.
Butziger is extraordinarily patient, supportive and nurturing with his nephew. I have also
observed Mr. Butziger assist another common friend who has battled cancer and PTSD due to
military service. In these interactions of which I have been witness to many, Mr. Butziger has
displayed the same qualities and behaviors of assistance without compensation, emotional
support, respect, selflessness, and encouragement, while helping with medical tasks and support
for a compromised cancer patient. These duties would be quite trying and sometimes frustrating
to an average person. Mr. Butziger has never complained.
#: 200

I have found Mr. Butziger to be trustworthy with personal information — both mine and
others. Never has he offered personal details of anyone when conversations touched on that area.
He always takes the high road when speaking of everyone. I find this to bea rare trait in common

_ relationships. Mr. Butziger is a true friend in need and I trust him as a brother. I have never seen
him angry or confrontational in any situation, even difficult ones.

I respectfully request leniency with Mr. Butziger as I believe he will reconcile his errors _
and remain a positive asset to his family, friends and society at large. His nature and actions as

demonstrated to me shows he is fundamentally a caring and giving person with valuable skills
and talents. I believe this does, and will, outshine any singular errors he may have made.

Respectfully submitted,

Matthew J Ventura MBA

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