A Georgia man faces felony offenses in connection to allegedly committing sex crimes against children, according to the case’s probable cause statement.
Joseph L. Pridemore, 57, of Alma, Georgia, is charged with one count of first-degree child molestation and two counts of statutory sodomy - deviate sexual intercourse with a person less than 14 years old - aggravated sexual offense. He is in custody in Georgia pending extradition to Missouri. He will be incarcerated with no bond issued.
The case’s probable cause statement says Pridemore admitted to a detective from the Salem Police Department that he committed the alleged sex crimes against two children in Salem who were each under 10 years old at the time. The offenses occurred from 2018 to 2022. A phone conversation heard by the detective is also cited during which Pridemore admitted to another person he’d committed the alleged sex crimes.
The charges which Pridemore was arrested are merely accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before the court of competent jurisdiction, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.