House Speaker calls on GOP Del. Elliott Pritt to resign after arrest for soliciting 15-year-old girl

Del. Elliott Pritt, a Republican member of the House of Delegates, has been charged with enticing a minor after an investigation found that he communicated with a girl through Roblox and Snapchat.

Pritt, 36, is a public school teacher who represents the 50th District in Fayette County. He serves as assistant majority leader. 

According to a criminal complaint from the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia, Pritt was arrested Wednesday and faces one count of enticement of a minor.

By Wednesday evening, House Speaker Roger Hanshaw called on Pritt “to resign from elected office as soon as he is able.”

“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,” said Hanshaw, R-Clay, in a statement. “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.”

” … 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,” Hanshaw said.

According to the criminal complaint, the family of a 15-year-old female reported that the child had been sexually abused by Pritt.

The complaint said that Pritt began communicating with the girl when she was in eighth grade in 2024 through the online game Roblox then later on Snapchat. The communication happened outside of school hours.

“By the end of her eighth grade year, Pritt told a minor female that he loved her,” the complaint said. 

Pritt also sent sexually explicit photos of himself and requested that the girl send nude photos of herself through Snapchat. The exchange of images occurred during 2025 and 2026, according to the complaint. 

The complaint said that Pritt later initiated a physical relationship with the minor and requested that she meet him in his classroom at Oak Hill High School to engage in sexual activity at least five to ten times.

Pritt asked that the girl not tell anyone what had happened between them, according to the complaint. The investigation found that he told her in a message, “It would be in the news. It would be awful. For both of us. I would lose my entire life.”

The Snapchat messages allegedly continued through July. 

Pritt appeared before federal Magistrate Judge Dwane Tinsley Wednesday for an initial hearing.

Pritt was first elected as a Democrat to the House in 2022. He switched to the Republican party in 2023.

House Communications Director Ann Ali said in a statement that, “While these are disturbing allegations and we all should be concerned about the welfare of this student, there is a presumption of innocence and a legal process that must be permitted to proceed; the Delegate remains a Delegate unless or until he resigns or the House as a body takes action to remove him from the seat to which he was elected.” 

Hanshaw added, “In America, we all enjoy the presumption of innocence, and Del. 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.”

West Virginia Republican Party Chair Josh Holstein, who also serves in the House, said, “The allegations against Del. 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.”

“Public officials are held to the highest standard of conduct. Given the seriousness of these federal charges, Del. 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,” Holstein wrote in a statement.

“The West Virginia Republican Party has zero tolerance for the exploitation or abuse of children. If these allegations are proven in court, Del. Pritt should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” he continued.

Del. Tristan Leavitt, R-Kanawha, posted on X that, “The federal criminal complaint against Elliott Pritt alleges vile conduct.”

“There is no place for this kind of abuse anywhere, much less someone in a position of trust in a school and in the community. If the allegations are true, Pritt should resign from the House of Delegates immediately, and I pray this young victim can receive the support she needs,” Leavitt said.

Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, called for Pritt to resign.

“No one who preys on and abuses a child has any business holding public office,” Young posted on X. “These charges are disqualifying, full stop as there is no version of public service that includes this conduct. My heart goes out to the victim. Delegate Pritt should resign immediately.”

House Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, said in a statement, “The breaking news regarding Republican Del. Elliott Pritt are disturbing and vile. I hope and pray that the victims will be ok and can get any help they need. It’s past time we prioritize taking action on protecting the innocent when it comes to pedophilia, abuse, and violence.”