Former Hurricane councilman accused of soliciting minor among Putnam County indictments
HURRICANE, W.Va. -- A former Hurricane city councilman was indicted on charges of soliciting a minor in one of 64 indictments returned by a Putnam County grand jury this week.
HURRICANE, W.Va. -- A former Hurricane city councilman was indicted on charges of soliciting a minor in one of 64 indictments returned by a Putnam County grand jury this week.
Scott A. Cunningham, 31, of Hurricane, was arrested last June and charged with two felony counts of soliciting a minor via computer.
He allegedly sent sexual text messages to a 13-year-old girl and asked the girl to take naked photos, according to a criminal complaint filed in Putnam County Magistrate Court.
West Virginia State Police Cpl. T.M. Divita interviewed the victim and took her phone to the State Police digital forensic lab for review. Investigators found detailed text conversations between Cunningham and the girl, according to the criminal complaint.
In one conversation May 11, 2012, Cunningham asked the girl if she is 11 years old and the girl replied, "I'm 13," according to the criminal complaint.
Cunningham is friends with the girl's family and knows she's underage, the complaint states.
Cunningham was elected to Hurricane City Council in June 2011. He resigned from council shortly after his arrest.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. It only means that a grand jury believes there is enough evidence of a crime to merit a jury trial.
Other indictments include:
Brett R. Abbott, 22, South Charleston, grand larceny; Adrien W. Allen, 26, Culloden, drug charges and driving on a revoked license for DUI; Brittany L. Armstead, 23, Cross Lanes, receiving or transferring stolen property and conspiracy to receive/transfer stolen property; Melissa K. Auvil, 57, Hurricane, embezzlement; Carla M. Back, 37, Poca, fraudulent schemes and embezzlement; Caleb A. Beckner, 25, Red House, DUI causing death and aggravated DUI; Jaimie D. Bess, 22, Scott Depot, receiving or transferring stolen property and conspiracy to receive or transfer stolen property; Michael C. Boardman, 21, Tornado, drug charges; Rustyn N. Booth, 31, Charleston, attempt to commit burglary, destruction of property and trespassing charges; David W. Bowen, 54, Barboursville, drug charges; Cameron J. Burks, 19, of Hurricane, entering without breaking charges and attempted grand larceny.
Tia L. Carr, 20, of Craigsville, grand larceny; Stacy J. Casto, 42, Hometown, drug charges; Debbie A. Combs, 45, Poca, drug charges; Joshua W. Conley, 28, Red House, failure to provide notice of registration changes; Christopher M. Coyner, 22, Scott Depot, daytime burglary; Lewis B. Day, 27, Hurricane, first-degree robbery, malicious assault and conspiracy charges; Dennis A. Dent, 33, Scott Depot, third-degree sexual assault and third-degree sexual abuse; Tara D. Deweese, 24, Hurricane, multiple counts of uttering a forged writing and petit larceny; Steve S. Driscoll, 41, Hurricane, drug charges; Nancey A. Dunn, 45, Poca, drug charges.
Travis R. Edwards, 24, Hurricane, drug charges; Joseph E. Elswick, 29, Hurricane, illegal possession of a firearm and obstruction; Thomas E. Frazier, 28, Pliny, third-offense driving on a revoked license for DUI and fleeing; James D. Galloway, 35, Charleston, daytime burglary, grand larceny and destruction of property charges; Egisto Grandoni, aka Gregg Masanotti, aka Michael Bigelow, 50, Poca, drug charges; Jonda C. Grandoni, 49, Poca, drug charges; Denzil R. Grant II, 39, Hurricane, fraudulent schemes, use of an unauthorized access device charges, attempted breaking and entering and destruction of property; Heather J. Grant, 27, Milton, conspiracy to commit breaking and entering and receiving or transferring stolen property; Akale J. Green, 44, Huntington, drug charges and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Carlton S. Harrington, 19, Scott Depot, drug charges; Jeremy R. Harrison, 24, Liberty, computer fraud, fraudulent use of an unauthorized access device and petit larceny; Stephen A. Haynes Jr., 31, Hurricane, fraudulent schemes and unauthorized use of an access device charges; Stephanie B. Horn, 21, Scott Depot, first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit malicious assault charges; John E. Jacobs, 26, Eleanor, receiving or transferring stolen property and conspiracy to receive or transfer stolen property; Jeremy L. King, 27, Hamlin, fleeing from law enforcement charges, grand larceny and failure to stop at a stop sign; Timothy M. King, 42, Hurricane, third-offense driving on a revoked license for DUI, third-offense domestic battery and second-offense DUI; Paul W. Krueger Jr., 52, of P.O. Box 197, drug charges.
Jacob R. Lewis, 22, Hurricane, drug charges; James O. Livingston, 26, Leon, grand larceny and petit larceny; Nicholas R. Martin, 22, Eleanor, drug charges; Robert H. Mayle, 37, Hurricane, drug charges; Teauna D. McKeever, 48, Charleston, worthless check charge; Dontaze R. Mosley, 24, Hurricane, drug charges. Courtney A. Paxton, 22, Nitro, drug charge; Jason D. Priestley, 33, Scott Depot, third-offense domestic battery; Loretta L. Reitmire, 38, Pomeroy, Ohio, grand larceny; Steven M. Rhodes, 24, Buffalo, first-degree robbery charges, breaking and entering and grand larceny; Amanda F. Rice, 24, Hurricane, drug charges; Richard W. Riffle, 25, Scott Depot, child pornography charges; Elvis L. Russell Jr., 34, Culloden, first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit malicious assault charges.
Janel M. Salmons, 23, of Culloden, first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit malicious assault charges; Raymond E. Shaffer, 38, Eleanor, attempting to obtain a controlled substance by misrepresentation; Jeremy M. Shilling, 21, Nitro, grand larceny; William M. Short, 40, Hurricane, drug charges; Brandon L. Slayton, 25, Cross Lanes, receiving or transferring stolen property and conspiracy to receive or transfer stolen property; William D. Smith, 43, Winfield, unlawful assault, assault and battery of a government representative, attempt to disarm a law enforcement officer and obstruction; Curtis C. Sowards, 38, Hurricane, four counts of petit larceny, four counts of uttering a forged writing and possession of a stolen vehicle; Jessica R. Staton, 32, Winfield, drug charges; Barry A. Stephenson Jr., 30, Hurricane, drug charges; Alan Q. Stone, 29, Hurricane, drug charges; Ronda M. Thaxton, 41, Poca, drug charges; Justin A. Vannatter, 29, St. Albans, breaking and entering, destruction of property, conspiracy to commit breaking and entering and grand larceny; Scott A. Vincent, 44, Milton, drug charges.
HURRICANE, W.Va. -- A former Hurricane city councilman was indicted on charges of soliciting a minor in one of 64 indictments returned by a Putnam County grand jury this week.
Scott A. Cunningham, 31, of Hurricane, was arrested last June and charged with two felony counts of soliciting a minor via computer.
He allegedly sent sexual text messages to a 13-year-old girl and asked the girl to take naked photos, according to a criminal complaint filed in Putnam County Magistrate Court.
West Virginia State Police Cpl. T.M. Divita interviewed the victim and took her phone to the State Police digital forensic lab for review. Investigators found detailed text conversations between Cunningham and the girl, according to the criminal complaint.
In one conversation May 11, 2012, Cunningham asked the girl if she is 11 years old and the girl replied, "I'm 13," according to the criminal complaint.
Cunningham is friends with the girl's family and knows she's underage, the complaint states.
Cunningham was elected to Hurricane City Council in June 2011. He resigned from council shortly after his arrest.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. It only means that a grand jury believes there is enough evidence of a crime to merit a jury trial.
Other indictments include:
Brett R. Abbott, 22, South Charleston, grand larceny; Adrien W. Allen, 26, Culloden, drug charges and driving on a revoked license for DUI; Brittany L. Armstead, 23, Cross Lanes, receiving or transferring stolen property and conspiracy to receive/transfer stolen property; Melissa K. Auvil, 57, Hurricane, embezzlement; Carla M. Back, 37, Poca, fraudulent schemes and embezzlement; Caleb A. Beckner, 25, Red House, DUI causing death and aggravated DUI; Jaimie D. Bess, 22, Scott Depot, receiving or transferring stolen property and conspiracy to receive or transfer stolen property; Michael C. Boardman, 21, Tornado, drug charges; Rustyn N. Booth, 31, Charleston, attempt to commit burglary, destruction of property and trespassing charges; David W. Bowen, 54, Barboursville, drug charges; Cameron J. Burks, 19, of Hurricane, entering without breaking charges and attempted grand larceny.
Tia L. Carr, 20, of Craigsville, grand larceny; Stacy J. Casto, 42, Hometown, drug charges; Debbie A. Combs, 45, Poca, drug charges; Joshua W. Conley, 28, Red House, failure to provide notice of registration changes; Christopher M. Coyner, 22, Scott Depot, daytime burglary; Lewis B. Day, 27, Hurricane, first-degree robbery, malicious assault and conspiracy charges; Dennis A. Dent, 33, Scott Depot, third-degree sexual assault and third-degree sexual abuse; Tara D. Deweese, 24, Hurricane, multiple counts of uttering a forged writing and petit larceny; Steve S. Driscoll, 41, Hurricane, drug charges; Nancey A. Dunn, 45, Poca, drug charges.
Travis R. Edwards, 24, Hurricane, drug charges; Joseph E. Elswick, 29, Hurricane, illegal possession of a firearm and obstruction; Thomas E. Frazier, 28, Pliny, third-offense driving on a revoked license for DUI and fleeing; James D. Galloway, 35, Charleston, daytime burglary, grand larceny and destruction of property charges; Egisto Grandoni, aka Gregg Masanotti, aka Michael Bigelow, 50, Poca, drug charges; Jonda C. Grandoni, 49, Poca, drug charges; Denzil R. Grant II, 39, Hurricane, fraudulent schemes, use of an unauthorized access device charges, attempted breaking and entering and destruction of property; Heather J. Grant, 27, Milton, conspiracy to commit breaking and entering and receiving or transferring stolen property; Akale J. Green, 44, Huntington, drug charges and possession of a stolen vehicle.
Carlton S. Harrington, 19, Scott Depot, drug charges; Jeremy R. Harrison, 24, Liberty, computer fraud, fraudulent use of an unauthorized access device and petit larceny; Stephen A. Haynes Jr., 31, Hurricane, fraudulent schemes and unauthorized use of an access device charges; Stephanie B. Horn, 21, Scott Depot, first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit malicious assault charges; John E. Jacobs, 26, Eleanor, receiving or transferring stolen property and conspiracy to receive or transfer stolen property; Jeremy L. King, 27, Hamlin, fleeing from law enforcement charges, grand larceny and failure to stop at a stop sign; Timothy M. King, 42, Hurricane, third-offense driving on a revoked license for DUI, third-offense domestic battery and second-offense DUI; Paul W. Krueger Jr., 52, of P.O. Box 197, drug charges.
Jacob R. Lewis, 22, Hurricane, drug charges; James O. Livingston, 26, Leon, grand larceny and petit larceny; Nicholas R. Martin, 22, Eleanor, drug charges; Robert H. Mayle, 37, Hurricane, drug charges; Teauna D. McKeever, 48, Charleston, worthless check charge; Dontaze R. Mosley, 24, Hurricane, drug charges. Courtney A. Paxton, 22, Nitro, drug charge; Jason D. Priestley, 33, Scott Depot, third-offense domestic battery; Loretta L. Reitmire, 38, Pomeroy, Ohio, grand larceny; Steven M. Rhodes, 24, Buffalo, first-degree robbery charges, breaking and entering and grand larceny; Amanda F. Rice, 24, Hurricane, drug charges; Richard W. Riffle, 25, Scott Depot, child pornography charges; Elvis L. Russell Jr., 34, Culloden, first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit malicious assault charges.
Janel M. Salmons, 23, of Culloden, first-degree robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery and conspiracy to commit malicious assault charges; Raymond E. Shaffer, 38, Eleanor, attempting to obtain a controlled substance by misrepresentation; Jeremy M. Shilling, 21, Nitro, grand larceny; William M. Short, 40, Hurricane, drug charges; Brandon L. Slayton, 25, Cross Lanes, receiving or transferring stolen property and conspiracy to receive or transfer stolen property; William D. Smith, 43, Winfield, unlawful assault, assault and battery of a government representative, attempt to disarm a law enforcement officer and obstruction; Curtis C. Sowards, 38, Hurricane, four counts of petit larceny, four counts of uttering a forged writing and possession of a stolen vehicle; Jessica R. Staton, 32, Winfield, drug charges; Barry A. Stephenson Jr., 30, Hurricane, drug charges; Alan Q. Stone, 29, Hurricane, drug charges; Ronda M. Thaxton, 41, Poca, drug charges; Justin A. Vannatter, 29, St. Albans, breaking and entering, destruction of property, conspiracy to commit breaking and entering and grand larceny; Scott A. Vincent, 44, Milton, drug charges.
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