Jury recommends four life sentences for Sikeston man convicted of sodomy

A Sikeston, Mo., man faces the possibility of spending the rest of his life in prison after being found guilty of four counts of first-degree sodomy and one count of child molestation.

Jack Pruitt, 48, was found guilty on the charges Wednesday evening by a Cape Girardeau County jury after a two-day trial. On Thursday morning, that jury returned to court with its recommended sentence: four life terms for the sodomy counts and 15 years for the molestation count.

The case was tried in Cape Girardeau County after a change of venue from Scott County. Sue Boresi of the Missouri attorney general's office was called in as special prosecutor; Pruitt was represented by public defender Brandon Sanchez.

During the trial, the jury saw graphic evidence including photos of Pruitt performing sex acts with young children and photos Pruitt had taken of naked children. It was this wealth of evidence, along with victim testimony, that led to both the conviction and the strong sentence recommended by the jury, said Scott Holste of the attorney general's office.

The conviction stems from incidents involving a Sikeston girl whose family was acquainted with Pruitt. The victim was 5 years old when the incidents took place in May 2003.

The Sikeston Department of Public Safety, Scott County Juvenile Office and Missouri Children's Services took part in the investigation, which uncovered the photos and six pairs of girls' underwear at Pruitt's home.

A presentencing investigation will now be conducted. Sentencing has been set for Sept. 12 before Judge Benjamin Lewis.

msanders@semissourian.com

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