Iowa man: Registered sex offender gets 22 years for attempting to entice a child, again

(Charles Walter Christopher, 2017 Mugshot,  Image credit: Iowa Sex Offenders Registry)

On January 3, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois announced that Charles Walter Christopher, 43, of West Liberty, Iowa, was sentenced to a total of 264 months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for his attempted enticement of a minor and committing a sex offense while a registered sex offender.

Christopher had pleaded guilty to charges back in in August of 2021.

According to court documents, Christopher began communicating online with an individual he believed to be a 15-year-old child. After arranging to meet with the intended victim, Christopher traveled from West Liberty, Iowa, to Rock Island, Illinois. Upon his arrival, Christopher was arrested by federal agents and local law enforcement.

At the time of his arrest, Christopher was on federal supervised release out of the Southern District of Iowa for attempted enticement of a minor.  In 2008 when Christopher was 28 years old, he was convicted of trying to entice a minor under the age of 13.

Christopher has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his arrest in November 2020.  He was sentenced on December 15, 2021. 

“We will continue to prosecute those who intend to sexually harm children by working with the FBI and our other law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris.

“Hopefully, this case and others like it will serve to remind anyone with the inclination to prey upon children to think twice and to stop. Children and parents need to remain constantly vigilant and exercise caution when accessing the internet, communication apps, and similar platforms.”

Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sara Darrow’s 264-month sentence was comprised of 144 months’ imprisonment for attempted enticement of a minor and 120 months’ imprisonment for committing a sex offense while a registered sex offender, to run consecutively.  

The case against Christopher was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.  For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit here.  

(Source:  U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of Illinois)
(Cover photo, Charles Walter Christopher, 2020 Mugshot, Image credit: Iowa Sex Offenders Registry)

~ Posted by Richard Webster, Ace News Today / Connect with Richard on Facebook and Twitter