Former Rice Lake man sentenced to prison

A former Rice Lake man was sentenced to prison on Tuesday for possessing child pornography.

Blaize B. Mayes, 20, who had moved to Texas, was charged on Nov. 13 in Barron County Circuit Court with child sexual exploitation and possession of child pornography, both felonies.

Mayes pleaded guilty on May 10 to the count of possessing child porn while the other charge was dismissed but read into the record.

At his sentencing hearing on Tuesday, Judge Maureen D. Boyle gave Mayes an eight-year prison sentence, with three years of confinement and five years of extended supervision. Conditions include that he register as a sex offender, and he may not have unsupervised access to the internet or contact with any minors.