Stolen gun suspect faces multiple felonies

Published 7:01 am Sunday, February 2, 2014

PRATTMorgan

Morgan Pratt

After drawing police officers’ attention at 3 a.m. on Wednesday, a 19-year-old allegedly arrested with stolen pistols faces four felony charges.

Morgan Dwayne Pratt, of Austin, faces two felony charges of ineligible person carrying a pistol, two felony charges of theft and a misdemeanor charge for underage drinking and driving. He was charged Thursday in Mower County Court.

Police arrested Pratt and cited a 16-year-old for possession of drug paraphernalia on Wednesday morning while on patrol in southwest Austin. According to the court complaint, as an officer passed in his squad car, he saw a car turn its lights off. The second time the officer drove by, it appeared an occupant had been ducking to avoid view, as well.

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While officers approached, Pratt and the other teen exited the vehicle, and Pratt said he wasn’t driving. An officer then allegedly discovered Pratt was carrying a .22-caliber pistol and later discovered a 9 mm pistol in the car, along with the drug paraphernalia. The pistol had previously been registered as stolen from an Adams residence, and the owner then discovered the 9 mm had been stolen, as well. A preliminary breath test later revealed Pratt had a 0.07 blood-alcohol concentration.

Pratt has a court appearance scheduled for Feb. 13 in Mower County Court.