By By Lisa Tindell
news editor
A Brewton man will be spending 30 years in prison for possession of child pornography and other sex related crimes after he was sentenced in Mobile Thursday by U.S. District Court Judge William Steele.
Kevin Lake, 45, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of child pornography, first-degree sexual abuse and enticing a minor to enter a vehicle in U.S. District Court. Lake still faces state charges connected with the allegations in Escambia County Circuit Court.
Escambia County Sheriff’s officers arrested Lake on April 20 at his home on Jay Road in Brewton. At the time of the arrest, Sheriff Grover Smith contacted the FBI requesting assistance in the investigation of Lake since he was suspected to be a multi-state sex offender.
Lead investigator Adam Johnson testified in the sentencing hearing Thursday about what officers found during a search of Lake’s 18-wheeler truck last April.
During the initial investigation, Johnson said Lake directed him to a shoebox inside the vehicle. Johnson said the box held more than 100 magazine cutouts of young children as well as about 20 Polaroid photos of a nude 8-year-old boy.
Johnson also testified that Lake lured the boy into his 18-wheeler with an invitation to watch a children’s movie. At that point, Lake fondled and touched the boy and forced the boy to climb on top of him, Johnson said.
The possession of those photos found in Lake’s vehicle prompted authorities to file the federal charges against him in Mobile.
Although no court date has been set in connection with the charges in Escambia County, Lake has been indicted on the charges.
Johnson said defense attorney Robert Ratliff served as Lake’s attorney after being appointed by federal court authorities.