Man who posed as pregnant teenager stole cheques to buy stereo equipment

Bradlee Pratt, 20, formerly of York, Nebraska, has been sentenced to a term of 15-45 months in prison after being convicted of second degree forgery and felony failure to appear. According to York County Attorney Candace Dick, a man in another county reported to the York Police Department that his bank had informed him someone else wrote a cheque on his account at the Walmart in York.

Dick said the man also told the police that earlier in the year, he was asked if a pregnant friend of his daughter could stay at his home because he was often not home as a long-distance truck driver. “This pregnant young woman needed a place to stay and he agreed to let her stay there while he was gone,” Dick said. “When he returned home, he kicked her out when he said other people had been living there, too. Later, he found out that the pregnant woman was a man.”



Apparently, the man posing as a pregnant teen was identified as being Pratt. Dick said Pratt stole cheques from the man and used one to purchase $859 worth of stereo equipment at the Walmart in York. He was also recorded later, returning equipment and getting cash back. “He had no authorization to take or pass that cheque,” Dick told the court. “He also signed the owner’s name to the cheque, but then he provided his own driver’s licence as identification.” Regarding the felony failure to appear, Pratt was ordered to appear for his jury trial in August but was a no-show. He was later found in Kansas, arrested and brought back to York County.

“He’s spent 120 days in jail,” Pratt’s attorney, York County Public Defender Nancy Waldron told Judge Patrick Mullen. “He’s never been on probation as an adult and has never been convicted of a violent crime. He was taking classes to be a drug and alcohol counselor – and upon release from jail he plans to look for a job. He admits he has a drug problem and needs help. The only area (in the pre-sentence investigation) that indicates he is of high risk is with drugs. He wants to pay the victim back in full. He feels bad for what he did. He wants to be placed on probation and he understands he has a serious drug problem.” Pratt’s sentence on each count was 15-45 months, but they will be served concurrently with each other. He was given credit for 120 days already served.