Malden man sentenced to prison for neglecting child support payments

KENNETT, Mo. — Dunklin County Circuit Judge Stephen Sharp recently sentenced Shawn D. Kilgore, 36, of Malden, Mo., to three years in a Missouri prison for criminal nonsupport. Kilgore had been charged with failure to provide support for his three minor children.

Kilgore was originally charged in 2004, and on Sept. 14, 2005, he was placed on probation conditioned on his making support payments.

On Thursday, Sharp revoked Kilgore’s probation and sentenced him to three years in the Department of Corrections.

His probation was also revoked in a case that had been filed in 2002, on which he served a 90-day jail sentence in 2004.

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney John Nichols, who is responsible for the Child Support Division of the Dunklin County Prosecutor’s Office, handled the case.

Dunklin County Prosecuting attorney Stephen Sokoloff said, "It is unfortunate when we have to incarcerate a defendant because he refused to provide support for his children.

"However, when defendants do not avail themselves the opportunity we give them to take care of their responsibilities, we have no alternative and we will use the penitentiary for those who will not meet those responsibilities."

Sokoloff also praised Judge Sharp for the sentence.

"Sometimes you just have to send a message," Sokoloff said.