Pritt enters guilty plea

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WVVA) - A former Fayette County legislator and teacher pled guilty today (Tuesday) in federal court in Charleston to attempted production of child pornography.

David Elliott Pritt, 36, of Oak Hill, admitted that he tried to persuade a minor female to take and send him sexually explicit images of himself.

Pritt resigned from his seat in the West Virginia House Delegates in July and withdrew his name from the General Election ballot in early August. He was indicted on Aug. 19.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Pritt communicated with the approximately 14-year-old girl using the Snapchat app beginning in approximately June 2025 and lasting through at least January 2026.

Pritt is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2027, and faces a mandatory minimum of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Pritt must also register as a sex offender.

“Parents send their children to school trusting that the adults there will keep them safe. Elliott Pritt violated that trust,” said U.S. Attorney Moore Capito. ”Today’s guilty plea, achieved in consultation with the victim and her family, ensures this predator will serve time in federal prison where he can be held accountable for his heinous actions and his betrayal of public trust. Our hope is that today’s plea brings relief to our community but, more importantly, gives the victim and her family an opportunity to heal in privacy as they move forward.”