Albion man accused of raping 16-year-old ordered to trial

Christopher Pratt was ordered to trial Monday for the alleged rape of a teenager last year.

Calhoun County District Court Judge Tracie Tomak ordered that the case of third-degree criminal sexual conduct against the 51-year-old Albion man be sent to circuit court for trial.

Pratt is charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in September after she ran away from Starr Commonwealth, an Albion residential treatment facility for juveniles.

The defense has argued the girl's testimony can't be believed because she left the facility several times, has used drugs and, according to Pratt's attorney, Shawn Smith, is a pathological and sophisticated liar.

But Tomak, in her ruling, said she heard enough evidence from the alleged victim to find there is probable cause to believe there was a crime and that Pratt committed it.

"The truthfulness can be argued in circuit court," the judge said. "Based on the testimony, there are questions about her truthfulness and she admitted she has been untruthful."

The girl testified during the first day of the hearing in May that she left the facility and then stopped at Pratt's home looking for a ride so she could visit her boyfriend in the Detroit area.

When her boyfriend was unable to come to get her, she agreed to stay the night with Pratt. She went to sleep but told the court she was awakened in the night and that Pratt had intercourse with her.

She said she was scared and said little to stop him.

The next day Pratt took her to her boyfriend in Holly and several days later she was returned to Starr.

The only witness called Monday was by the defense. Shaun Mohon, group living director at Starr, said the girl did not disclose the rape when she was first returned.

"She said a man got on top of her while she was on a couch and then a woman started to yell and he got off."

But Mohon said the girl ran away from Starr later in September, was found an hour later at Pratt's home and a week later told a staff member she was raped the first time she visited Pratt's home.

Smith continued to argue that the girl's testimony was not believable but, during questioning by Assistant Prosecutor Angelique Camfield, Mohon said he knows that some sexual assault victims sometimes delay disclosure of sexual assault.

Pratt remains a person of interest in the March 12, 2004 disappearance of his former girlfriend, Mary Lands of Marshall, who was 39 when she disappeared.

She was never found and is presumed dead but no one has been charged in that case.

Pratt remains in the county jail.

Contact Trace Christenson at 269-966-0685 or tchrist@battlecreekenquirer.com Follow him on Twitter: @TSChristenson