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Waco babysitter sentenced to 80 years in federal prison for sexually abusing, filming young children

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WACO, Texas (KXXV) — A Waco man who used his role as a babysitter to sexually abuse and record multiple young children has been sentenced to 960 months — the equivalent of 80 years — in federal prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas announced Friday.

Kevin Duane Pridemore, 41, pleaded guilty to two counts of production of child pornography and one count of possession of child sexual abuse material. U.S. District Judge Alan D. Albright sentenced Pridemore to 360 months on each production count and 240 months on the possession count, to be served consecutively. Judge Albright also ordered Pridemore to pay $207,000 in restitution.

The case began when law enforcement traced at least 50 posts on a child pornography website to Pridemore, leading FBI agents to execute a search warrant at his Waco residence last March. Investigators recovered an SD card containing a 15-minute video of Pridemore sexually abusing a girl between the ages of 5 and 7. A second series of videos, produced in October 2024, showed Pridemore abusing another girl who was approximately 5 years old at the time.

A full forensic examination of Pridemore's devices revealed approximately 23,728 images and 155 videos of child sexual abuse material, including images of infants and toddlers. Investigators also identified at least four known victims whom Pridemore had abused and recorded on separate occasions while babysitting them.

Pridemore was initially indicted on two counts April 8, 2025. Prosecutors later added the possession charge, and Pridemore pleaded guilty to all three counts the following day.

"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," U.S. Attorney Justin R. Simmons said.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative launched in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.

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