Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa M. Marangola, who is
handling the case, stated that according to the indictment and a previously filed
complaint, on January 12, 2019, the New York State Police were notified by the
parents of a teenaged minor girl (the victim) that they found a large amount of
text messages on their daughter’s phone from her school athletic trainer, the
defendant.
During an interview with the victim, she told investigators
that in November 2018, Pratt began texting her. Simple texts regarding an
injury the victim suffered led to nude photographs being exchanged between the
two using Instagram.
Some of the text messages between the defendant and the
victim included:
· “I seriously
cannot stop thinking about you or wanting you. This is crazy to me for only
knowing you for a few weeks and I'm not sure how to navigate these feelings as
I'm obviously married and our age difference which plays a huge role in all
this. I love talking to you and being around you and all I want is to be with
you. I hate the fact that I am 16 years older than you and that we have to hide
and be sneaky.”
· “Nothing
would happen to you lol. My life would be ruined.” The victim responded, “You
get divorce papers and 20 years in jail.” Pratt responded, “Yuppppp... gotta be
super sneaky.”
Subsequently, according to the complaint, Pratt and the
victim engaged in sexual intercourse on January 7, 2019, at the victim’s home.
Pratt was arraigned before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan W.
Feldman and was released on conditions.
The indictment is the result of an investigation by the New
York State Police, under the direction of Major Eric Laughton, the Rochester
Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special
Agent-in-Charge Gary Loeffert, and the Livingston County District Attorney’s
Office, under the direction of District Attorney Gregory J. McCaffrey.
