Ex-seminary principal seeks cell-phone records

AMERICAN FORK — Attorneys for a former seminary principal accused of having sexual relations with a student told a judge on Tuesday they need the cell-phone records of the two before the case can go forward.

But the prosecution insists the records aren't necessary.

"It is in the victim's interest to have a speedy resolution," prosecutor Julia Thomas said. "We have provided everything we can for discovery. We have nothing further."

Defense attorney Dusty Kawai said these records are vital in trying to pinpoint dates of the 21 counts that his defendant, Michael Jay Pratt, faces. These charges include forcible sodomy, object rape and forcible sex abuse.

Pratt was arrested July 9 after police learned he had been checking a 16-year-old girl out of Lone Peak High School, where Pratt was an LDS seminary principal, without her parents' knowledge or permission, according to a police affidavit filed in 4th District Court.

Pratt and the student exchanged hundreds of text messages, many of them sexually explicit, the affidavit states.

Kawai asked Judge Christine Johnson for a court order to obtain the cell-phone documents. He said prosecutors filed an objection to him obtaining these documents, so the cell-phone company won't hand over the evidence he feels is necessary to the case.

Johnson set up another hearing for Sept. 18 to hear additional arguments about the issue. Kawai said he will be making additional requests for evidence at that time.

— Sara Lenz