CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A Wyoming gubernatorial candidate has cut ties with a volunteer who used a bit of online trickery to misdirect visitors trying to link to her opponent’s Web site.

Republican candidate Rita Meyer (pictured on right) says volunteer Paul Montoya was no longer working for her campaign.

Meyer says she had been unaware of Montoya’s decision to register a Web address very similar to rival Republican candidate Matt Mead’s.

Montoya’s action meant visitors to mattmeadforgovernor.com were sent to Meyer’s Web site.

Montoya told Cheyenne TV station KGWN on Tuesday that the ruse wasn’t a prank but was meant to demonstrate the importance of securing pertinent domain names.

After the trickery came to light, the address was switched to link to Mead’s campaign site.

Photo: University of Wyoming (file)