David Pruett received a severe 40-year prison sentence on Friday, after his conviction in a child exploitation case that harked back to an incident from 2019. This sentence, ordered by Judge Skahan, carries the weight of a daunting future with no possibility of parole for Pruett, as reported by SCDAG. The Judge underscored the gravity of Pruett's crimes and noted his apparent lack of remorse during the sentencing.
Judge Skahan concluded a two-day bench trial in August, which resulted in Pruett's conviction for several charges including the Rape of a Child and Sexual Exploitation of a Minor. The SCDAG's release remarked on the enhancement factors that influenced the harsh sentence, citing Pruett's alarming jailhouse comments bragging about his crimes, carried to the court on the wings of his own hubris.
Evidence from multiple witnesses shaped the case against Pruett. Statements from the victim, their aunt, and law enforcement painted a harrowing picture of the abuse. Key testimony also came from AJ Kant, a Shelby County Criminal Investigator, who pried crucial details from a jail informant. This led to the discovery of hard drives containing explicit images by MPD Sergeant Hutchinson, as SCDAG's news release elaborates.
With the sentencing complete, Pruett will certainly spend the entirety of the 40-year sentence under the custody of the Tennessee Department of Correction.
