West Virginia delegate resigns after federal child-enticing charge and detention hearing
David Elliott Pritt resigned effective immediately from the West Virginia House of Delegates after appearing in federal court in Charleston on July 27, 2026, on a federal charge of enticing a minor.
Pritt, who represented Fayette County, appeared before a federal magistrate at the Robert C. Byrd U.S. Courthouse. The federal matter is identified as United States v. David Elliott Pritt in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia.
He waived further preliminary and detention hearings, according to the approved reporting packet. The available materials do not establish the precise detention outcome or identify a subsequent court date.
The charge is an accusation, not a conviction. Pritt is presumed innocent unless and until prosecutors prove the charge in court.
Resignation leaves House seat vacant
Pritt’s immediate resignation ended his service in the House and left one state House seat vacant. The resignation came after his reported July 22 arrest and his July 27 federal court appearance.
The case combines an active federal prosecution with the departure of an elected state legislator. But the House resignation does not resolve the criminal case or determine whether the federal allegation can be proven.
The approved packet identifies one reported federal count: enticing a minor. It does not establish additional state-law charges, an indictment, a plea, a court finding, a conviction or a sentence.
What has been reported about the allegation
West Virginia Watch reported that Pritt was arrested and appeared in federal court on the enticement charge. The news organization reported that the allegation involved online communications and an alleged physical relationship with a minor.
Those reported details remain allegations, rather than facts found by a court. The available packet does not include the full criminal complaint, and this report does not identify the alleged minor or include information that could identify that person.
Available materials support reporting the existence of the federal charge and Pritt’s court appearance. They do not provide a full account of the evidence prosecutors may rely on, Pritt’s response to the allegation, or any judicial assessment of the underlying claim.
Federal proceedings remain unresolved
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia announced that it would hold a press conference following Pritt’s July 27 preliminary-detention hearing. Its announcement identified the courthouse in Charleston and the federal case name.
That announcement did not state a detention ruling or a future hearing date in the approved materials. As a result, the next confirmed development in the packet was the press conference scheduled after the hearing, rather than a later court proceeding.
Whether Pritt would remain detained, be released under conditions or return to court on a specific date cannot be determined from the materials provided. Those matters would require confirmation from the federal court record or a subsequent official announcement.
No public-safety instruction was included in the available official announcement or reporting. The public-interest significance of the case rests on the reported child-enticing charge, the continuing federal process and the immediate vacancy created in the West Virginia House.
Federal prosecutors retain the burden of proving the charge beyond a reasonable doubt. Until a plea or final court judgment, the allegation remains unresolved and Pritt retains the presumption of innocence.
Sources
- U.S. Attorney Moore Capito to Hold Press Conference Following David Elliott Pritt Hearing, U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of West Virginia
- Pritt resigns from WV House after arrest, appears in federal court, West Virginia Watch