EC man gets prison for possessing child porn
Jun. 28—EAU CLAIRE — An Eau Claire man will spend three years in prison for possessing hundreds of images of child pornography.
Richard A. Cundy, 35, 1828 S. Hastings Way, pleaded no contest recently in Eau Claire County Court to a felony count of possession of child pornography.
Seven additional counts of possession of child pornography were dismissed and considered at sentencing by Judge Emily Long.
Long ordered Cundy to spend five years on extended supervision following his release from prison. Cundy was fined $1,018.
As conditions of supervision, Cundy cannot have unsupervised contact with children or use the internet unless approved by his agent. Long also ordered Cundy to register as a sex offender, undergo a sex offender evaluation and receive any recommended programming or treatment.
According to the criminal complaint:
On Aug. 27, 2019, the state Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children that 26 images of child pornography were linked to Cundy's internet service account.
Authorities discovered that Cundy and his father were living with a couple at an Imperial Circle residence.
On Nov. 6, 2019, the couple gave consent to allowing authorities inside the residence. Cundy told authorities he and his father have been living at the residence for three or four months. Cundy said the only device he uses to access the internet was his phone.
Cundy said he got his cellphone from a man named "Matt," but could not provide more information about Matt. Cundy told authorities that Matt would look up disgusting things on this phone. When police asked if what Matt looked up was illegal, Cundy said "probably."
Authorities determined that Cundy's answers to questions he was asked were highly deceptive if not outright lies.
Authorities seized the phone Cundy was holding. Cundy said a second phone lying on the floor near his feet belonged to his father. That phone was also seized. Authorities then got a search warrant to examine both phones.
Hundreds of images and videos of child pornography were found on Cundy's phone.
