A McAlester man, who investigators say accessed child sexual abuse material on a state-issued computer and engaged in explicit online conversations involving minors, has pleaded no contest to a felony pornography charge, according to Pittsburg County court records.
David Prince, 42, entered the plea Feb. 4 to one count of possession of child pornography. A second count was dismissed under a plea agreement. District Judge Tim Mills accepted the plea and imposed a 10-year suspended sentence, seven years of supervision by the Department of Corrections and court-ordered fees, including $300 in fines and a $250 victim compensation assessment. Prince is also required to register as a sex offender.
The case began in November 2023 after the Oklahoma Fusion Center received a CyberTip that Prince, then an employee of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, was using his DOC-issued computer to access suspected child sexual abuse material, according to an affidavit filed by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation. At the time, Prince also served as an associate pastor at Northgate Baptist Church in McAlester.
Investigators said surveillance software captured keystrokes, searches and activity on Prince’s computer between Oct. 20 and Oct. 30, 2023. OSBI agents reviewing the captured screen recordings reported seeing child sexual abuse material and chat logs in which Prince allegedly discussed sexual activity involving minors.
According to the affidavit, messages attributed to Prince included questions about sexual activity involving minors. Another exchange reportedly involved Prince discussing a plan to meet a juvenile girl.
OSBI agents executed a search warrant at Prince’s McAlester home on Nov. 6, 2023, where they seized his phone and other devices. Investigators said Prince admitted to participating in online sexual conversations but claimed he believed the minors referenced by other users were not real. He also acknowledged contacting a Reddit user he believed to be a mother with a minor child.
Prince formally entered his no-contest plea during a Feb. 4 hearing. Court documents show he affirmed that he understood the rights he was waiving and the consequences of a felony conviction. Judge Mills accepted the plea agreement and ordered the suspended sentence.
Prince was released under supervision and is required to comply with sex offender registration and all conditions of the suspended sentence.