FAYETTE COUNTY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – UPDATE 7/23/26 12:46 PM: West Virginia State Superintendent of Schools Michele L. Blatt has summarily suspended the teaching certificate of Delegate Elliott Pritt following the federal charge filed against him in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
In a statement released Thursday, Blatt said the action was taken under state law after Pritt was charged with enticement of a minor.
“Today, I entered an order summarily suspending Elliott Pritt’s teacher certification as authorized under W. Va. Code §18A-3-6(b)(2) as a result of the charge brought against Mr. Pritt in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia for enticement of a minor.”
Blatt said teachers are expected to uphold the public’s trust.
“Teachers hold a position of public trust in the school systems in which they teach and the communities that they serve. The allegation that Mr. Pritt engaged in enticement of a minor attending Fayette County Schools, the county in which Mr. Pritt was a teacher, is shocking and disturbing.”
Blatt noted that if Pritt is convicted or pleads guilty, state law requires his teaching certification to be revoked.
“If Mr. Pritt is ultimately convicted or pleads guilty to these charges, W. Va. Code §18A-3-6(d)(2) provides that the State Superintendent shall automatically revoke his certification. As a result, we will continue to monitor further developments in the proceedings that are underway in the United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.”
She also expressed support for the alleged victim and Fayette County Schools.
“Our deepest concerns lie with the student who is alleged to have been enticed and abused by Mr. Pritt. The West Virginia Department of Education (WVDE) fully supports the action of Fayette County School Superintendent Warvel in suspending Mr. Pritt without pay, and the WVDE will support the Fayette County education community during this difficult time.”
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UPDATE 7/22/26 6:43 PM: Fayette County Schools Superintendent David Warvel has released the following statement following Pritt’s arrest:
“Fayette County Schools is aware of the reported federal charges involving a Fayette County Schools employee.
Because this is an active investigation, we are unable to provide additional comment at this time. Fayette County Schools will fully cooperate with law enforcement as the investigation progresses.
The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority.”
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UPDATE 7/22/26 6:33 PM: The West Virginia Republican Party has issued a statement following the arrest of Delegate Pritt.
West Virginia Republican Party Chairman Josh Holstein says that Pritt should resign.
“The allegations against Delegate Elliott Pritt are shocking, sickening, and deeply disturbing. While every person is entitled to the presumption of innocence and due process under the law, charges involving the exploitation and abuse of children strikes at the core of the public trust. It is simply unconscionable,” Holstein said.
“Public officials are held to the highest standard of conduct. Given the seriousness of these federal charges, Delegate Pritt should immediately resign from the West Virginia House of Delegates. The people of his district deserve representation that is beyond reproach, and these allegations make it impossible for him to effectively serve.
The West Virginia Republican Party has zero tolerance for the exploitation or abuse of children. If these allegations are proven in court, Delegate Pritt should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
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UPDATE 7/22/26 6:22 PM: West Virginia House Speaker Roger Hanshaw called the allegations against Delegate Elliott Pritt “shocking, disgusting and disappointing,” announced Pritt’s immediate removal from all official House roles, and urged him to resign.
Hanshaw also emphasized that Pritt is entitled to the presumption of innocence and the opportunity to defend himself in court.
The full statement may be read below:
“What Elliott Pritt is accused of doing is shocking, disgusting and disappointing in every way. My heart aches for his family, and if any part of these serious allegations are true, the law should be applied in full force. No child should ever be exploited by anyone, especially by the adults placed in positions of trust and charged with preparing young people, many of whom our statistics tell us unfortunately have no other caring adult figures in their lives. Effective immediately, Delegate Pritt has been removed from all official roles connected with his service as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates.
“In America, we all enjoy the presumption of innocence, and Delegate Pritt is entitled to that same constitutional protection. Public officials and leaders are, and rightfully should be, held to a higher standard. When the people place their trust in elected officials by entrusting them with the right to hold public office, more than the minimum is expected. The West Virginia House of Delegates simply will not tolerate conduct that even approaches what is alleged in the public filings released by federal law enforcement today. Delegate Pritt deserves the right to defend himself freely and fully in a court of law, but the public and his colleagues deserve more. West Virginia is entitled to representation that is unclouded by serious allegations of criminal behavior involving the exploitation of vulnerable citizens.
“I urge Elliott Pritt, for the benefit of his family and the people of his District, to spare his students and his colleagues at every level the continued embarrassments and distractions and to resign from elected office as soon as he is able.”
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ORIGINAL STORY: A Fayette County high school teacher and local Republican state delegate has been charged in federal court after investigators alleged he used social media and messaging apps to groom a student, solicit sexually explicit images, and engage in sexual activity with the minor over several months.
According to a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, 36-year-old David Elliott Pritt is charged with one count of enticement of a minor in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 2422(b). The alleged conduct occurred between May 2025 and July 2026 in Fayette County.
The complaint, filed by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Special Agent Terrance L. Taylor, alleges Pritt, who is identified as a current Fayette County high school teacher and former middle school teacher, began communicating with the victim while she was an eighth-grade student. Investigators say the conversations initially began on the online gaming platform Roblox before moving to Snapchat.
According to the affidavit, the conversations became increasingly personal, with investigators alleging Pritt eventually told the student he loved her. Authorities further allege that during the summer of 2025, Pritt sent the student a sexually explicit image of himself and later encouraged her to send increasingly explicit photographs in return, eventually requesting nude images.
Federal investigators also allege the relationship became physical in late 2025. According to the complaint, the victim told investigators that Pritt requested she meet him in his classroom at Oak Hill High School, where she allegedly performed sexual acts on him during multiple encounters.
The affidavit states the alleged encounters ended around December 2025 or January 2026, but investigators say Pritt continued communicating with the student through Snapchat until July 2026 while continuing to request sexually explicit photographs.
The complaint further alleges that on or about June 20, 2026, Pritt messaged the student asking her not to tell anyone about their relationship, warning that if authorities became involved, it would “be in the news” and that he would “lose my entire life.”
HSI agents contend there is probable cause to believe Pritt knowingly used interstate communications to persuade, induce, entice, or coerce the minor to produce child sexual abuse material and engage in conduct that violated West Virginia law.
The charge contained in the criminal complaint is an allegation. Pritt is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Elliott Pritt defeated former Delegate Austin Haynes in 2022 following allegations that he had sexually propositioned constituents at the capitol.
