Bennington man faces child sex assault charges
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By PATRICK McARDLE Herald Staff - Published: September 19, 2008
BENNINGTON — A Mount Anthony Union para-professional who has convictions for possession of marijuana and assault was arraigned on Thursday on charges of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl. Conviction in the case could lead to a sentence of life in prison.
Shawn R. Pratt, 36, of Bennington, was charged with felony counts of aggravated sexual assault on someone younger than 10 years old, attempted aggravated sexual assault on someone younger than 10 years old and two counts of lewd and lascivious conduct with a child in Bennington District Court.
Pratt did not meet the alleged victim at the school, nor through his employment at the school.
Pratt pleaded not guilty to the charges, but Public Defender Frederick Bragdon did not contest the state's request to hold Pratt without bail until a hearing to determine whether he can be released on any set of conditions that will guarantee his future appearance in court and protect public safety.
According to the Mount Anthony Union High School Web site, Pratt is a para-professional at the Bennington high school that serves students from Bennington, North Bennington, Pownal, Shaftsbury and Woodford.
However, court records indicate that Pratt has convictions in Vermont for domestic assault in 2002 and 2007, simple assault in 2007 and possession of marijuana in 2003. On Sept. 5, Pratt pleaded guilty to another charge of domestic assault.
In court papers, Pratt listed his place of employment on Thursday as the Southwest Vermont Supervisory Union.
George Carpenter, interim superintendent of the supervisory union, said the school district did have a policy of conducting background checks.
"We want to assure the community our job is to keep kids safe. … Our primary responsibility is to make sure our youngsters, our students, can come to school in a safe environment," he said.
It's not as clear what happens with the information that is produced through the background checks. Carpenter said if an applicant had certain convictions, the district would not be willing to make a job offer, even if the job did not involve directly working with students, but he didn't say what those convictions were.
"From what I can glean, we have responded to this situation as we should have according to our policy and contracts," Carpenter said.
While Pratt was charged with some felonies, his convictions in Vermont all appear to be misdemeanors. Police said Pratt has a criminal history in New York, but did not say on what charges.
Based on his most recent conviction for domestic assault, Pratt had been scheduled to serve 24 days at Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland beginning on Oct. 5.
Pratt was represented at that hearing by Bennington attorney William Wright. A list of witnesses submitted by the defense included Mount Anthony Union High School Principal Sue Maguire, teachers Mike Canavan and Charles Moses and para-professional Marge Collins. Maguire said on Thursday she did not appear at Pratt's sentencing hearing or any of his court proceedings and was not aware her name was on the list of defense witnesses.
Calls to Canavan and Moses were not returned on Thursday.
The latest charges against Pratt were filed after police interviewed a 10-year-old girl who knows Pratt.
Bennington Police Detective Lawrence Cole and Vermont Department of Children and Families Investigator Melissa Shea met with the girl on Sept. 17, according to an affidavit. Cole said the girl was "very articulate" and appeared to be of "above average intelligence" for her age.
The girl told investigators that Pratt rubbed his hand over her underwear on Sept. 14. She said that reminded her of similar incidents that she said happened when she was 2, 3 or 4 years old.
Two incidents were similar to the incident from Sept. 14 she had described and in another, she told investigators, Pratt rubbed his groin against hers. On one occasion, Pratt tried to initiate sexual contact with her and when she refused he hit her with a belt and threatened her if she told anyone about what had happened, the girl told investigators.
Cole said he met with Pratt on Sept. 17 and Pratt "adamantly denied" the allegations.
In March 2007, Pratt got into an altercation with a woman and her mother that involved hitting and pushing them. He pleaded guilty to the charges in July 2007.
In February, a woman said Pratt slapped her and pulled her ponytail, which pulled hair from her head, according to a police affidavit. He pleaded guilty to this charge on Sept. 5.
Mount Anthony Union School Board Chairwoman Sean-Marie Oller said she expected her board would have to hear from administrators about what their options are before deciding on Pratt's future with the high school. That decision will have to be made in an executive session, she said, because it involves personnel.
Pratt is being held at Marble Valley Regional Correctional Facility in Rutland.
Contact Patrick McArdle at patrick.mcardle@rutlandherald.com.
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