From the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office:
Thirty-nine year old Aubrey Gerald Pritt, of Street, Maryland, pled guilty on September 9, 2011, to Trying to Influence a State’s Witness and related Burglary and Theft charges. Pritt was charged with Burglary for entering a vacant home in, Darlington and removing the copper piping and wiring and Theft for stealing 1,160 feet of 50-strand Verizon telephone wire from a construction site in Forest Hill. The evidence showed that Pritt exchanged the copper for cash at a local recycling center. The Burglary crimes were committed from late 2009 to early 2010.
On August 3, 2011, while awaiting trial, Pritt was overheard during a jail visitation soliciting the help of 19 year old Jonathan Martin Yanney, also of Street, MD. Pritt told Yanney someone “needs to talk to [the State’s witness] and tell him to forget what he knows.” “All [the witness] has to say is that it’s been too long and he can’t remember. Anything, I don’t care, as long as I get out.” Yanney agreed to carry the message to the witness.
The witness reported to police that approximately 4 days after August 3rd Yanney approached the witness and told him that “Gerald (Pritt’s nickname) wants you to forget what you know.” A Grand Jury for Harford County subsequently returned indictments charging Pritt and Yanney with trying to influence the witness and related Obstruction of Justice charges.
Pritt, a prior convicted felon was sentenced on September 9, 2011, for Burglary 2nd Degree in Darlington, to serve 6 years in the Maryland Division of Correction and suspended 4 more years and imposed 5 years supervised probation upon release. He was sentenced to 18 months for the Theft Under $1,000.00 in Forest Hill and 5 years in prison for Trying to Influence a Witness.
The witness’ name has been withheld in the interest of public safety.
Hey Aubrey…you shoulda wired that message!