Joseph Rimero Rutherford, a 34-year-old resident of North Carolina, was sentenced to 18 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for failing to register as a sex offender after moving to Bristol, Virginia. The sentencing took place last week in Abingdon, Virginia.
Court documents and statements presented during the proceedings revealed that between 2020 and July 2022, Rutherford lived in an apartment in Bristol but did not register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA). He also failed to update his registration status in North Carolina. Rutherford’s obligation to comply with SORNA stems from his 2015 federal convictions for possession and distribution of child pornography in the District Court for the District of Columbia.
SORNA is part of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006. It establishes minimum standards for sex offender registration across the United States and requires offenders to keep their information current in every jurisdiction where they live, work, or study.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the United States Marshals Service and the Bristol Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Carrie Macon.
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