Burnsville Man Accused Of Sexually Assaulting A Woman During Modeling Session
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – A Burnsville man is accused of sexually assaulting a young woman while taking modeling shots of her.
Court documents said Eric Rutherford, 33, contacted the woman on Facebook. Police said he told her she could become a model if she took photos at his home.
"We were looking at people on Facebook and she was like 'oh this girl is so beautiful I'm going to contact her about doing the pictures'," Rutherford said.
Rutherford, who's not a photographer, said his friend, who does own a photography studio, asked him to take them.
The woman told police that during the photo shoot Rutherford offered her water, and after drinking it she began to feel dizzy.
She said when she went to the bathroom to change, Rutherford sexually assaulted her.
"I never touched her," Rutherford said.
Rutherford denies ever drugging or harming the woman.
He said she tried to hug him.
"The moment she did that, we jumped in the car and I took her, she stayed on the phone with her father the entire ride home," he said.
The woman's father told police Rutherford apologized for touching her. Rutherford said he did apologize for pushing her off of him.
The complaint also notes he met with the woman's parents before the photo shoot.
"I spent hours with her mom and dad, they were supposed to come and they opted out of coming," he said. "I have absolutely never done anything against females."
Rutherford says he wants his name cleared.
"I think honestly it's about money she's not going to get a cent because I never touched her."
Rutherford has a previous misdemeanor for groping a woman two summers ago. If convicted in this case, he could face up to 15 years in prison.