Internet Crimes Against Children Arrest in Rancho Cordova

Image: File photo of Prange | Courtesy of SCSO

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA  –  Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in locating possible child victims.
In February of 2024, 44-year-old Scott Bartholomew Prange was shopping for a “promise ring” and purchased one for a 15-year-old female juvenile in Rancho Cordova, according to officials.

“The jewelry store clerk observed the behavior between Prange and the female juvenile and felt it was suspicious, so he contacted Sacramento County Sheriff’s dispatch about the situation.” Prange was quickly detained in the parking lot by Rancho Cordova Police Department deputies and members of the Sacramento Sexual Assault Felony Enforcement (SAFE) Team. Prange was a tier-3 sexual offender who was out of compliance with his registration and had a warrant out for his arrest for absconding from parole. A Tier-3 sexual offender is the highest risk category for the most serious sex crimes.

Prange had multiple prior arrests for absconding from parole, including fleeing the state, and multiple arrests for being in possession of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), commonly referred to as Child Pornography, according to records.

At the time of his contact by Deputies, Prange had thousands of CSAM videos involving infants, prepubescent children, and pubescent children. Prange was booked into custody at the Sacramento County Main Jail, where he remains ineligible for bail.

During a follow-up investigation, detectives learned that Prange, while being a parolee-at-large, additionally produced videos of him sexually abusing a 7-year-old female child out of Placer County. Prange was also in communication with multiple children across California, including Sacramento County, Merced County, Placer County, and San Luis Obispo County. An additional 12-year-old female child victim (who was 11 years old at the time of the incident) was identified out of the state of Georgia.

Prange was charged with the following:
• PC 288.7(b):​Digital penetration of a child 10 years and under,
• PC 288.7(b):​​Oral copulation with a child 10 years and under
• PC 288(a): ​​Lewd and lascivious acts with a child under the age of 14
• PC 288(c)(1):​Attempt lewd and lascivious acts with a child 14 or 15 years old
​while being at least 10 years older
• PC 288.2(a)(2):​Sending harmful content to a minor
• PC 288.3(a): ​Communication with a minor with the intent to commit a sexual
offense
• PC 288.4(a)(1):​Arrangement of a meeting with a minor for the purpose of
engaging in lewd or lascivious behavior
• PC 288.4(b): ​Arriving at the arranged meeting place after committing a
​violation
• PC 311.11(b):​Possession of child pornography with a previous conviction
• PC 311.4(c):​Production of child pornography

Prange is believed to have stayed with numerous families and had access to multiple children in California’s Sacramento, Placer, and Butte County areas. Prange also has ties to Jefferson County in Kentucky, Snohomish County in Washington, and Ingham County in Michigan, officials said.

Detectives are seeking the public’s assistance in locating any possible victims that Prange may have contacted. If you have any relevant information, please contact the Sheriff’s Office at (916) 874-5115 or Sacramento Valley Crime Stoppers at (916) 443-HELP(4357), 1-800-AA-CRIME, or **TIPS. Use the “P3 TIPS” app or online at www.sacvalleycrimestoppers.com. Tip information may also be left anonymously at www.sacsheriff.com or by calling (916) 874-TIPS (8477).

This investigation was a combined effort by the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office, Rancho Cordova Police Department, Sacramento County Probation Department, Citrus Heights Police Department, Lincoln Police Department, Merced Police Department, Morro Bay Police Department, and the ICAC unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force.
The ICAC unit of the Sacramento Valley Hi-Tech Crimes Task Force investigates crimes relating to the sexual exploitation of children throughout Northern California.