South MS man guilty of producing and sharing images of child sexual abuse
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Judge sends David Cruise Pace to prison for filming child sexual assaults.
- Investigation began after Texas task force uncovered abuse images Pace shared.
- Pace must register as a sex offender for life under Mississippi sentencing terms.
Judge Kathy King Jackson on Wednesday sentenced a Gautier man to serve a 45-year day-for-day sentence for producing and sharing images of child sexual abuse.
David Cruise Pace, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of felony child endangerment and two counts of child exploitation. As a result, Judge Jackson sentenced Pace to a total of 80 years on all charges, but suspended all but 45 years for Pace to serve. He also has to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
Among the images Pace shared in an online chatroom in May 2023 was one of a man sexually abusing an 8-year-old girl from Jackson County, according to Assistant District Attorney George Huffman.
The initial investigation began after a Texas investigator assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children task force there befriended Pace in an online chat room, and Pace started sharing images of the child sexual abuse.
After the Texas investigator found out Pace lived in Gautier, he turned the information over to the police there to investigate further, culminating in Pace’s arrest.
During a forensic review of Pace’s phones, authorities found various images and videos of the child sexual assaults, Huffman said.
“The victim’s family not only has to cope with the nightmare of their child being sexually assaulted, but must also live knowing that the images may never be fully wiped from the darkest corners of the internet,” Huffman said. “This sentence reflects the permanency of the defendant’s actions.”
District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath added, “Our office is steadfast in holding anyone who harms children accountable. No one who harms a child should ever doubt that we will pursue justice with every resource available. Protecting the most vulnerable is not only our duty, it is our unwavering commitment.”
This story was originally published September 3, 2025 at 11:40 AM.
