PUTNAM COUNTY INDICTMENTS Ex-Hurricane Councilman Among Putnam County Indictments
Reported by: Heath Harrison
Web Producer: Heath Harrison
Reported: Mar. 7, 2013 4:37 PM EST
Updated: Mar. 7, 2013 4:50 PM EST
Eyewitness News Photo
Putnam County
, West Virginia
A former Hurricane city council member was indicted Tuesday by a Putnam Country grand jury on two counts of soliciting a minor using a computer.
Scott A. Cunningham, 31, is accused of sending sexually explicit messages to a 13-year old-girl. He was arrested in June 2012 and resigned his position on council shortly after. Court documents claimed Cunningham asked the girl, who used to live in his neighborhood, to take naked pictures of herself and asked her if she liked oral sex.
Cunningham had been under investigation by the West Virginia State Police’s Crimes Against Children Unit prior to his arrest.
In other indictments handed down Tuesday:
- Dennis A Dent, 35, of Scott Depot was indicted on a count of third-degree sexual assault and a count of third-degree sexual abuse. Dent is accused of having sex with a 15-year-old girl. He pleaded not guilty to the charge of sexual assault in January.
- Richard W. Riffle, 25, of Scott Depot was indicted on 38 counts of possession of material visually portraying a minor engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Riffle was jailed in September 2012, after State Police said they found child pornography on his computer.
- Denzil R. Grant II, 39, of Hurricane was indicted on a fraudulent scheme count; 14 counts for use of an unauthorized access device; and one count of attempt to commit breaking and entering and destruction of property. Grant was arrested with two others in January 2008 and charged with operating a clandestine methamphetamine lab.
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Heath Harrison
