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Ex-LDS seminary principal gets 5-to-life for abusing student
Salt Lake Tribune ^ | Sept. 20, 2010 | Donald W. Meyers

Posted on 09/20/2010 4:23:53 PM PDT by Colofornian

American Fork » Former LDS seminary principal Michael Jay Pratt will spend at least five years in prison for sexually abusing a student 20 years younger than himself.

Fourth District Judge Christine Johnson imposed concurrent sentences of five years to life in prison for first-degree felony forcible sodomy and two object rape charges, and one to 15 years for forcible sexual assault, a second-degree felony. Johnson said it was a sentence that best balanced the needs of justice and mercy in a case that carried heavy religious overtones.

Pratt pleaded guilty to the crimes in June as part of an agreement in which prosecutors dropped 11 other charges.

Pratt’s attorney, Stephen McCaughey, sought to get Pratt two years in the Utah County Jail followed by a lengthy probation. He said Pratt had no prior criminal record, and the case did not involve violence or physical force. McCaughey argued Pratt would likely serve about six years in prison on the charges.

Pratt said he was sorry for what he had done, and was given enough time to hug his wife before he was escorted from the courtroom by sheriff’s deputies.

Johnson said Pratt’s position as a teacher and spiritual adviser at Lone Peak High School placed him in a position of trust which he abused.

The victim and her family also told the court how Pratt had gained their trust as a dedicated, popular teacher and church leader who was helping the victim through a rough spot in life. He then manipulated the victim into going along with his sexual fantasies.

“Justice was served, but it is a tragedy,” the victim’s stepfather said after the hearing.


TOPICS: Current Events; Other Christian; Religion & Culture
KEYWORDS: inman; lds; mormon; rape; seminary
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To: svcw

“I don’t get the wife hugging her husband. If I found my husband had raped and abused a child, I’d be hitting him with a bat.”

He still has to speak her “secret” name for her to be resurrected... maybe covering her bets.


21 posted on 09/20/2010 5:31:22 PM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: MissesBush
You really have no understanding of scripture or worship.

Admit it. Before you are embarrassed.........

WAIT! I SAY I AM FOLLOWING B. YOUNG...A MAIN PROPHET OF MORMONISM.

BUT HE SAY'S BLACK PEOPLE AND AMERICAN INDIAN PEOPLE ARE INFERIOR! WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE ME?!?!?

HE ALSO SAYS....ONLY JOSEPH SMITH CAN "OKAY" MY ENTRY INTO HEAVEN. I GUESS...US INDIANS ARE SCREWED, ACCORDING TO J. SMITH AND B. YOUNG.

EXPLAIN THAT, PLEASE.

22 posted on 09/20/2010 5:38:05 PM PDT by Osage Orange (Kill them all...let God sort them out.)
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To: mbs6
Sometimes the fire you are getting is spot on.

While your "saying" can be true....It's not always the case.

Are you a mormon?

23 posted on 09/20/2010 5:43:16 PM PDT by Osage Orange (Kill them all...let God sort them out.)
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To: Vendome

Most child molestion happens outside church organizations. However, the media does not really care about child molestion. They care about bringing down faith by presenting the appearance that Christians/Catholics Priests and Ministers are evil people - child molestors. In the mean time, liberal media perverts advocate “comprehensive sex education” which is opening up children to massive child molestion and sexual manipulation.

You will never see an article exploring the totality of child molestation in public schools. Only churches. And you won’t see a person of one religion post article about the perverts nailed in their church organization; only the other church organizations they feel are inferior to their own. We are a dandy bunch.


24 posted on 09/20/2010 5:56:26 PM PDT by SaraJohnson
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

Is it true of every mormon? Of course not. No one claims that.


Puleeze. Colo is trying his hardest to link this terrible thing to the LDS church in any way he possibly can.


Still, is he having his Official Mormon Temple Recommend revoked?


If he currently has one of course it would be revoked. And he will be excommunicated if he isn’t already. You KNOW this. SO why even bring it up?


25 posted on 09/20/2010 6:54:45 PM PDT by Paragon Defender
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To: Osage Orange

WAIT! I SAY I AM FOLLOWING B. YOUNG...A MAIN PROPHET OF MORMONISM.

BUT HE SAY’S BLACK PEOPLE AND AMERICAN INDIAN PEOPLE ARE INFERIOR! WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE ME?!?!?

HE ALSO SAYS....ONLY JOSEPH SMITH CAN “OKAY” MY ENTRY INTO HEAVEN. I GUESS...US INDIANS ARE SCREWED, ACCORDING TO J. SMITH AND B. YOUNG.

EXPLAIN THAT, PLEASE.


Please..... drop the anti-Mormon propaganda. All of this can be looked up and addressed:

I invite everyone to read all of the multitude of Anti-Mormon attack threads and/or comments on this board and then do some research on your own from more than one side of the “issues”.

Is what all these Mormon attack squad people parrot day in and and day out on these boards true? Don’t take their word for it. Find out for yourself. Put forth some effort. You do want the truth right? Prove it.

Read both sides! Talk to both sides! Not just mine. Not just theirs. Make up your own mind.

Here’s a few links to get your started from a different viewpoint. The vast majority of the issues brought up can be found and addressed at http://www.fairlds.org/ I have found but here’s more.

http://scriptures.lds.org/
http://www.lds.org
http://www.fairlds.org/
http://www.mormonwiki.com/Main_Page
http://www.lightplanet.com/response/index.html
http://www.jefflindsay.com/LDS_Intro.shtml
http://www.answeringantimormons.com/index.htm
http://promormon.blogspot.com/


26 posted on 09/20/2010 6:57:18 PM PDT by Paragon Defender
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To: MissesBush
The LDS Church worships Jesus Christ just as other Christians do.

Uh... not quite.

27 posted on 09/20/2010 7:01:46 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Paragon Defender
But I know what you are really trying to say.

Because of the superior MORMON discernment?

28 posted on 09/20/2010 7:04:56 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Paragon Defender
Please..... drop the anti-Mormon propaganda. All of this can be looked up and addressed:

Talk to BOTH sides?

I'm happy with the MORMON history speaking for itself!

29 posted on 09/20/2010 7:09:43 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Paragon Defender
Please..... drop the anti-Mormon propaganda. All of this can be looked up and addressed:

Talk to BOTH sides?

I'm happy with the MORMON history speaking for itself!

30 posted on 09/20/2010 7:09:56 PM PDT by Elsie ( Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Colofornian
Clearly an exception to the rule: Mormons make great neighbors.
31 posted on 09/20/2010 7:12:43 PM PDT by Gamecock ( Christianity is not the movement from vice to virtue, but from virtue to Grace.)
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To: Elsie
I'm happy with the MORMON history speaking for itself!

Yeah but you're a bigot if you use Mormon sources to show mormonism for what it really is.

32 posted on 09/20/2010 7:23:07 PM PDT by Graybeard58 (Nobody reads tag lines.)
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To: Paragon Defender; colorcountry

“Still, is he having his Official Mormon Temple Recommend revoked?

“If he currently has one of course it would be revoked. And he will be excommunicated if he isn’t already. You KNOW this. SO why even bring it up?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Actually, inside the High Temple, where they do the masonic rituals, I do not know how they decide - or if - they revoke temple recommends or potential godhood.

Perhaps a former mormon could comment and tell us the truth without the mormon varnish...? Sorry, but I know mormons like to put their best public relations foot forward and avoid things like this hitting the airwaves... which means
I do not believe you without verification.

best,
ampu

PS - ping to Color Country - any idea about this issue?


33 posted on 09/20/2010 7:34:10 PM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion
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To: Colofornian

Pratt said he was sorry for what he had done,
_________________________________________________

Yeah well them Pratts always were a sorry bunch...


34 posted on 09/20/2010 7:41:08 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: Paragon Defender

Well, I don’t know about that revocation. My homosexual lds cousin still has his.


35 posted on 09/20/2010 7:41:46 PM PDT by svcw (Everyday the enemy tries to offer you an apple, when God has already given us an orchard.)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

I believe he will be excommunicated.

However, he will probably work his way back into full membership through obedience to Mormon laws such as; paying a full 10% tithe, abstaining from coffee, tea, alcohol or liquor, attending all meetings, and re-baptism, in order to get his membership back and his temple ordinances reinstated.


36 posted on 09/20/2010 7:43:28 PM PDT by colorcountry ("The power of facts is much greater than the power of argument.")
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To: Elsie

Because of the superior MORMON discernment?


Because of history and common sense. Any more snarky remarks?


37 posted on 09/20/2010 7:43:54 PM PDT by Paragon Defender
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To: svcw

If I found my husband had raped and abused a child, I’d be hitting him with a bat.
_____________________________________________

You ol softy you...

Nuclear warheads would be more in line..


38 posted on 09/20/2010 7:44:46 PM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: SaraJohnson; Vendome
You will never see an article exploring the totality of child molestation in public schools.

This series of criminal activities highlighted in this article did occur in & around confines of a public high school involving a public high school employee -- an Lds seminary principal. Lone Peak HS in Highland, UT is indeed a public school -- part of the Alpine School District, which has close to 3,000 educators.

Now why do Utah public schools have Lds seminary principals on the taxpayer public school payroll -- let alone why do they have such seminary principals preying upon students????

Maybe a letter campaign needs to be begun -- writing the Utah legislature to begin defunding what the Lds church should be fully funding in and of itself -- and keep it separate from school activities. Public schools can "release" students for religious education purposes to attend classes down the street.

39 posted on 09/20/2010 7:45:32 PM PDT by Colofornian
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To: Graybeard58

Yeah but you’re a bigot if you use Mormon sources to show mormonism for what it really is.


No you are a bigot if you pretend to use Mormon sources by posting them and then using strawman arguments against them.


40 posted on 09/20/2010 7:45:40 PM PDT by Paragon Defender
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