Former Babysitter Sentenced To 30 Years For Molesting Stone County Siblings:

By Kathee Baird

Springfield, Mo.- A man who sexually molested two siblings and used them to produce child pornography while he babysat them has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison without parole.

On Jan. 10, 2013, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Dennis Lee Whitaker’s residence in Taney County after receiving information from Stone County Detective Brian Landreth that Whitaker had molested the 5 and 8 year-olds at his apartment in Branson . During the execution of the warrant, officers seized three desktop computers, a laptop computer, a webcam and various computer equipment and electronic media storage devices. Investigators found sexually explicit images of the victims as well.

One of the victims told investigators that Whitaker made him “role play”scenes from pornographic movies that Whitaker made him watch.

On May 21, 2014, Whitaker, 54, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexually exploiting a minor in order to produce child pornography. Whitaker admitted that he used the siblings to make kiddie porn between Jan. 1, 2010, and Jan. 1, 2013, in Stone and Taney counties.

Whitaker also faces state charges in Taney County – two counts of sexual exploitation of a minor child, two counts of child molestation and one count of statutory sodomy – related to the sexual exploitation of these victims.

If he is ever released from prison Whitaker will face a life term of supervision as a sex offender.