A man who pleaded guilty to a felony domestic violence charge was placed on community control this week in the Champaign County Common Pleas Court.
Travis E. Rutherford, 26, was placed on community control for five years during a sentencing hearing Monday.
Last month, Rutherford pleaded guilty to one count each of domestic violence, a fourth-degree felony, and possession of cocaine, a fifth-degree felony.
A court statement filed in the Champaign County Municipal Court states that on Nov. 1, 2018, officers of the Urbana Police Division were dispatched to an East Ward Street residence on a report of possible domestic violence. The caller told dispatch her husband had been physical with her and was now hitting himself in the face to make it appear she had hit him.
When police arrived, Rutherford denied anything physical had happened and said the woman was upset with him because he had been watching pornography. He added they were arguing and in each other’s faces.
The woman told police that Rutherford had grabbed her by the throat, pushed her onto the washer and dryer, squeezed her throat, poked her in the left side of her face and told her he “wished she was raped and killed.”
Police photographed marks on the left side of the woman’s face.
Conditions of community control include Rutherford gaining admission to and completing the West Central Community Based Correctional Facility residential program, obtaining an assessment from and successfully completing any aftercare programming, and obtaining an assessment for and successfully completing substance abuse, alcohol dependency, anger management, mental health, depression and relationship counseling.
Other conditions include having one primary medical doctor who coordinates his medical care, obtaining all prescriptions through one pharmacy, informing the Adult Parole Authority of the name, address, and telephone number of the pharmacy, being subject to random drug screens, performing 50 hours of community service no later than Dec. 31, obtaining a GED no later than Dec. 31, and not having contact with the victim outside of specific exceptions outlined by the court.
Rutherford was fined $250 and was ordered to remain on house arrest pending admission to the residential facility.
If community control is revoked, Rutherford faces a 29-month prison sentence.
