Sex offender and burglar sentenced to 5 years prison, 10 years extended supervision

An Eau Claire man convicted of peeping, child porn, and burglary charges was sentenced to 5 years in prison with 10 years of extended supervision Thursday, September 3 by Eau Claire County Judge William Gabler.

Judge Gabler told Trever R. Kuhnert, 24, that as "a classic sex offender," "there is a need to protect the public and a need to provide for your rehabilitation...These were thrill crimes for you," Gabler said. "You got a rush by them. You have difficulty controlling your urges."

Kuhnert was sentenced on felony burglary and child pornography charges, and misdemeanor invasion of privacy charges.

Kuhnert was charged in December 2007 with invasion of privacy and two felony counts of burglary.

According to the criminal complaint in that case:

Police were called to a Lake Street home Dec. 3, 2007, and found Kuhnert looking into a window. He claimed to be urinating, but officers found no evidence in the snow on the ground.

Kuhnert then admitted to peeping and showed officers 31 other residences in the area he had visited in the past. He also took a laptop computer and cash from three residences on prior occasions after he saw their owners leave.

Kuhnert later was charged with 18 felony counts of possession of child pornography after authorities found child pornography on the laptop computer Kuhnert was accused of stealing.

According to court records:

Police were called to a Hudson Street house Nov. 21 on a report of a male looking through a back window. The suspect was seen leaving in a black Chevrolet Cavalier.
A short time later, police detained a man - later identified as Kuhnert - for peeking in windows on Niagara Street. Kuhnert was driving a Chevrolet Cavalier.

Following Kuhnert's arrest, police found a laptop computer in his vehicle.
An examination of the computer on Nov. 22 found several stored images of child pornography. The children in the videos appear to be between the ages of 3 and 12.

Five felony counts of possession of child pornography and an additional felony count of bail jumping were then filed against Kuhnert.

When Kuhnert is released, he will barred from unsupervised Internet access, barred from unsupervised access to children, and barred from going out at night without approval from his probation officer.