Muncy Man Sentenced to 78 Months
A 52-year-year-old retired state prison guard was spared more than a decade behind bars for possessing and sharing child pornography, in part because he went on his own to friends, family and neighbors and confessed his wrongdoing.
Herbert Lunt of Muncy, who once worked at the state correctional facility in Coal Township, Northumberland County, was sentenced in U.S. Middle District Court Tuesday to 6 1/2 years in prison, followed by lifelong supervision with strict limitations on his contacts with children.
Lunt was supported by about a dozen friends and family members at the sentencing, including the child he asked another family to raise after learning he faced prosecution.
Lunt, also a former Air Force military police officer, pleaded guilty last October to downloading child pornography and – while posing as a 17-year-old – having Internet conversations and sharing pornography with someone he thought was a 14-year-old.
In reality, Lunt’s Internet friend was a New Hampshire police officer, according to statements made in court before U.S. District Senior Judge James F. McClure Jr.
The judge said he received and read an unusually large number of letters sent by people on Lunt’s behalf and allowed several people to speak, among them Lunt’s minister and a brother.
They described Lunt as remorseful and said he has sought counseling and spiritual help.
“He endeavors to walk in a new way,” the minister said.
Lunt did what most people do when being sentenced. He apologized to everyone involved, “especially” his child present at Lunt’s request to hear the apology “again in front of” a judge.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Simmers asked the judge to “remember” the children exploited to make the images Lunt downloaded.
Such images included an unknown number Lunt deleted after becoming aware his Internet activity was under investigation, Simmers noted.
In all, 276 images were recovered from Lunt’s computer hard drive and a Russian-made video he shared with the officer posing as a 14-year-old.
The suggested guideline sentencing range was 135 to 165 months in prison. McClure imposed a 78-month sentence and gave Lunt three weeks to settle his affairs before reporting to prison.
Muncy Man Sentenced to 78 Months
possessing and sharing child pornography, in part because he went on his own to friends, family and neighbors and confessed his wrongdoing.
Herbert Lunt of Muncy, who once worked at the state correctional facility in Coal Township, Northumberland County, was sentenced in U.S. Middle District Court Tuesday to 6 1/2 years in prison, followed by lifelong supervision with strict limitations on his contacts with children.
Lunt was supported by about a dozen friends and family members at the sentencing, including the child he asked another family to raise after learning he faced prosecution.
Lunt, also a former Air Force military police officer, pleaded guilty last October to downloading child pornography and – while posing as a 17-year-old – having Internet conversations and sharing pornography with someone he thought was a 14-year-old.
In reality, Lunt’s Internet friend was a New Hampshire police officer, according to statements made in court before U.S. District Senior Judge James F. McClure Jr.
The judge said he received and read an unusually large number of letters sent by people on Lunt’s behalf and allowed several people to speak, among them Lunt’s minister and a brother.
They described Lunt as remorseful and said he has sought counseling and spiritual help.
“He endeavors to walk in a new way,” the minister said.
Lunt did what most people do when being sentenced. He apologized to everyone involved, “especially” his child present at Lunt’s request to hear the apology “again in front of” a judge.
Assistant U.S. Attorney William Simmers asked the judge to “remember” the children exploited to make the images Lunt downloaded.
Such images included an unknown number Lunt deleted after becoming aware his Internet activity was under investigation, Simmers noted.
In all, 276 images were recovered from Lunt’s computer hard drive and a Russian-made video he shared with the officer posing as a 14-year-old.
The suggested guideline sentencing range was 135 to 165 months in prison. McClure imposed a 78-month sentence and gave Lunt three weeks to settle his affairs before reporting to prison.
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