Federal Grand Jury Indicts Ex-Teacher and Former State Legislator on Child Sexual Exploitation, Enticement and Witness Tampering Charges

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - United States Attorney Moore Capito announced today that a federal grand jury indicted David Elliott Pritt, 36, of Oak Hill, on three felony counts alleging sexual exploitation of a child, coercion and enticement of a child, and tampering with a witness, victim, or informant.

The indictment alleges that from in or about March 2024 through in or about January 2026, Pritt attempted to and did persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor female to engage in sexually explicit conduct, and from in or about June 2025 through in or about January 2026 did so for the purpose of producing visual depictions of such sexually explicit conduct using the internet and cellular networks. The indictment further alleges that on or about June 20, 2026, Pritt attempted to intimidate and corruptly persuade the minor female with the intent to hinder, delay, and prevent the communication of information relating to the commission and possible commission of a federal crime to a law enforcement officer.

Pritt was arrested on July 22, 2026, following an investigation. At the time of the alleged offenses, Pritt was employed as a teacher with Fayette County Schools and represented a Fayette County district in the West Virginia House of Delegates. Following his arrest, Pritt resigned from the West Virginia Legislature and the Fayette County Board of Education suspended and then terminated his employment. An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

"With West Virginia's children returning to school this month, now is another opportunity for parents and caregivers to have those important conversations with their kids," Capito said. "Our children need to know that they can safely report and talk about any situation that potentially involves grooming, inappropriate behavior, or abuse."

Capito also continued to encourage anyone with information relevant to this case to contact the Fayette County Sheriff's Office at (304) 574-4268.

Capito commended the investigative work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Fayette County Sheriff's Office. The case has been assigned to United States District Judge Irene C. Berger and United States Magistrate Judge Omar J. Aboulhosn.Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Rada Herrald is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia. Related court documents and information can be found on PACERLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link. by searching for Case No. 2:26-cr-97.

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