A Memphis man has been convicted on several charges involving the sexual assault of a minor. The Shelby County District Attorney’s Office shared that 34-year-old David Pruett was found guilty of child rape, especially aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, and two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor, stemming from a 2019 incident.

The court heard, for a two-day bench trial, testimonies that detailed the heinous crimes for which Pruett was indicted. Action News 5 reported that among the witnesses were the victim, the victim's aunt, and a jail informant whose information led to the discovery of Pruett’s hard drives containing the illicit images. Pruett had been booked on these charges back on July 12, 2019, and was indicted by a grand jury in 2022.

Pruett's conviction was further corroborated by evidence presented by authorities. According to WREG, officials stated that Pruett photographed a minor engaged in a sexual act, and the damning images were found on a hard drive. The informant, who was not named, was crucial in directing law enforcement to the location of this pivotal evidence.

Additional testimony came from law enforcement and forensic specialists, according to FOX13 Memphis. It was detailed that Sergeant Hutchinson of the Memphis Police Department notably played a role in the retrieval and identification of the hard drives that held the images. As jurors quickly stacked the overwhelming evidence, it became clear that Pruett's conviction was imminent. A sentencing date has been set for September 16 to determine Pruett's punishment for his actions, as the justice system moves forward to close this harrowing chapter for the victim and their family.