DAVENPORT, Iowa - A Cambridge, Illinois man was sentenced on May 13, 2026, to 125 months in federal prison for attempted enticement of a minor.

According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Christopher L. Rutherford, 55, messaged with two undercover officers who posed as underage teenagers on Facebook and exchanged messages about meeting to engage in sex acts. Rutherford made plans to meet up with one of the undercover officers at Walmart in Burlington where he was arrested.

After completing his term of imprisonment, Rutherford will be required to serve a five-year term of supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system.

United States Attorney David C. Waterman of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement. The Des Moines County Sheriff's Office investigated the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For information about internet safety education, please visit https://www.usdoj.gov/pscLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. and click on the resources tab.