Lynn Haven Man Arrested for Online Exploitation of Minor
Photo by Towfiqu barbhuiya on Unsplash
BAY COUNTY, FL - On December 10, 2024, the Bay County Sheriff's Office Criminal Investigations Division was contacted by the Ferry County Sheriff's Office (FCSO) in Washington state. The FCSO had received a report of a 14-year-old communicating online with an adult male, who had solicited her for sexually graphic images. The male was identified as Michael D. Rutherford, age 37, of Lynn Haven.
During the investigation multiple agencies worked together to develop enough evidence to obtain a search warrant for Rutherford's residence. That search warrant was served this morning by BCSO investigators, as well as members of Homeland Security Investigations, the Lynn Haven Police Department, and Florida Department of Corrections. Rutherford was taken into custody and transported to the Bay County Jail.
Rutherford was charged with Use of a Child in a Sexual Performance, Solicitation of a Minor for Sexual Acts Via the Internet, and Transmission of Harmful Materials to a Minor. These new charges constituted a violation of Rutherford's state probation, so a Violation of Probation charge was also added.
Sheriff Ford would like to express his appreciation to the assisting agencies in this investigation. With their collaboration, the case was closed within a week.
Sheriff Ford reminds the public to be mindful of what children are doing online. Those who prey on children are also online and targeting websites and applications frequently used by them.
A healthy Bay County requires great community news.
Please support The Bay County Coastal, LLC by subscribing today!
Please support The Bay County Coastal, LLC by subscribing today!
You may also like: