Texas babysitter sentenced to 80 years in prison for abusing children, producing child porn
A Waco man has been sentenced to 80 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to producing and possessing child sexual abuse material involving multiple young victims, the Department of Justice announced Friday.
Kevin Duane Pridemore, 41, was sentenced in federal court in Waco to 960 months in prison on three charges, according to U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas Justin R. Simmons. U.S. District Judge Alan D. Albright ordered the sentence to run consecutively and also ordered Pridemore to pay $207,000 in restitution.
"While nothing makes up for the harm caused by this defendant, the 80-year sentence handed down by Judge Albright highlights the egregious nature of the abuse in this case," Simmons said in a statement.
According to a DOJ press release, Pridemore's activity on a child exploitation website led law enforcement to execute a search warrant at his home on March 24, 2025. Investigators said evidence recovered during that search showed he had produced and possessed child sexual abuse material involving young children.
A forensic review later found he had tens of thousands of illicit images and videos, including material involving prepubescent children, authorities said. Authorities also identified multiple victims who were abused and recorded by Pridemore at different times while he was babysitting them.
Pridemore was initially indicted on April 8, 2025. Prosecutors later filed additional charges on Nov. 24, 2025, including two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession. He pleaded guilty to all three counts the following day.
Judge Albright sentenced Pridemore to 360 months for each production charge and 240 months for the possession count, to be served consecutively.
The FBI investigated the case. Acting FBI San Antonio Special Agent in Charge Alex Doran said the case involved a "profound abuse of trust," noting that Pridemore exploited his role as a babysitter.
"The FBI has zero tolerance for those who commit these heinous crimes against children," Doran said.
