By DON FLETCHER
News Staff Writer
A 22-year-old registered sex offender from Atmore, sent to prison in 2019 for luring a child into a sexual situation, was back behind bars just a day after his release from the state prison system.
Escambia County Detention Center records show that Ricky Terrell Pratt, who was listed as living at a Martin Loop address and a Liberty Street address, was arrested September 13 on twin violations of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.
Pratt’s most recent arrest came three years and one day after he was initially arrested. According to the arrest warrant, his return to jail came after he contacted the child he had admitted to enticing, then spent the night at the home in which the child lives. The warrant did not specify in what manner Pratt contacted the youngster.
Pratt was first arrested on September 14, 2017 after a joint investigation by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, the Child Advocacy Center and the Escambia County Department of Human Resources office. The probe was based upon allegations by the child that Pratt lured her into a room and touched her inappropriately.
He was originally charged with one count each of enticing a child for immoral purposes and sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12. He entered a guilty plea in October 2019 to the enticing charge, and the abuse charge was dropped.
He was sentenced to 10 years, with three to be served in prison and the remainder on probation. He could, if convicted of the SORNA violation, be sent back to prison to serve the remainder of the original sentence.
An employee of the ECDC’s booking and release division reported Monday afternoon that Pratt was still in the county jail, where he is being held under $150,000 bond.