A 55-year-old Montana man, Mikeal Shane Pruett, has been sentenced to 200 years in prison for sexually abusing his 11-year-old granddaughter, leading to her pregnancy, and molesting her younger sister. Pruett, who was the girls’ legal guardian, faced charges of incest for both actions.
The judge, Ravalli County District Judge Jeffrey Langton, recognized Pruett’s history of predatory sexual misconduct involving young females and acknowledged his lack of conscience. This history led to the decision to imprison Pruett for 200 years, with a possibility of parole at the age of 105.
The case unfolded when Pruett’s granddaughter, who was impregnated by him, visited a doctor and was found to be 32-weeks pregnant. This prompted an interview with Val Widmer, the director of children’s advocacy facility Emma’s House, where the victim disclosed the details of the sexual abuse she suffered. Initially, she tried to protect her grandfather by falsely claiming a boy at a county fair was responsible, but she later revealed the truth – that Pruett was the father.
Pruett’s disturbing behavior, compounded by his predatory past, led to the severe sentencing, as the judge and county attorney recognized the ongoing danger he posed to young children.
