Former Mountain Home man gets 20 years for sexual abuse of a minor, recording nude children

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A man from southeast Missouri, who used to live in Mountain Home, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl, which he recorded, and for recording other nude children in his home. Forty-three-year-old Matthew Austin Prewett was sentenced on the federal charge by U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp Wednesday.

Prewett pleaded guilty in November to a felony charge of sexual exploitation of a minor.

He still faces a total of 27 felony state charges in the case.

According to court records and the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Missouri, Prewett, who was living in Kennett at the time of the crimes, engaged in sexual contact with a 13-year-old girl beginning in April of 2022 and recorded the crimes on video.

During the course of the investigation into Prewett, it was learned Prewett had hidden cameras in his residence in Kennett. Cameras were located in the main bathroom and living room, and two more in another area of the house.

Investigators found video from the camera located in the bathroom of a 14-year-old nude juvenile drying off after a shower. A search warrant was then granted to seize the hidden cameras from Prewett’s residence.

Between the timeframe of November 2021 until May 2022, the bathroom camera captured video of at least eight juveniles. Allegedly, some of the videos were saved to Prewett’s cell phone.

Another victim disclosed in an interview they had sexual intercourse with Prewett twice as well as other inappropriate sexual conduct as many as eight times. It is alleged the victim and Prewett also shared pornographic images via text message. The victim stated Prewett sent her a text saying if they were ever caught, the two would obtain fake IDs and travel to Mexico.

The parent of another victim came forward during the investigation and said they filed a report in 2018 after having found her child asleep in bed with Prewett nude next to him.

The 27 felony charges Prewett is still facing on the state level include:

-Three counts of statutory rape or attempted rape in the first degree of a person less than 14-years-of-age

-Seven counts of statutory sodomy or attempted sodomy with a person less than 14-years-of-age

-One count of child molestation in the third degree of a child less than 14-years-of-age

-Two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor child

-Two counts of promoting child pornography to a minor in the first degree

-Three counts of sexual misconduct involving a child under fifteen, first offense

-Eight counts of invasion of privacy involving a victim less than 18 years of age

Prewett is currently in federal custody but is expected to be returned to the Pemiscot County Jail soon to await trial on the state charges. He is being held without bond.

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