An Iowa sex offender received a 22-year prison sentence for child enticement crimes, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

On Dec. 15, 2021, Charles Walter Christopher, a 43-year old West Liberty resident, was sentenced to 264 months in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor and committing a sex offense while already a registered sex offender. 

According to court documents, Christopher began communicating online with an individual he believed to be a 15-year-old child, but was a federal agent. After making arrangements to meet with who he thought was a minor, Christopher traveled from Iowa, to Rock Island, Illinois, where he was arrested by the authorities. He pleaded guilty in August of 2021. 

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

For his crimes, Christopher received 144 months of 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 was administered as part of the U.S. Department of Justice national Project Safe Childhood initiative which seeks to fight child sexual exploitation and abuse.