Morger convicted on charges related to attempting to meet 14-year old for sex

POMEROY, Ohio – James Morger, 29, entered a guilty plea to charges of importuning and disseminating harmful materials to a minor.

The Loveland, Ohio man entered a guilty plea in the Meigs County Court of Common Pleas April 28, 2017. He was indicted by a Meigs County Grand Jury on one count of Importuning, a felony of the fourth degree, and one count of Discriminating Material Harmful to Juveniles, also a felony of the fourth degree.

In the proposed plea agreement he must register as a sex offender, Tier 1, based on the charges in which he will be registered for 15 years. He is not subject to neighborhood/community notification, however. Until sentencing, it is not clear on how much prison time he will be sentenced to, but the agreement outlines 18 months plus attending the sexual offender program at SEPTA. He would have to successfully complete the program which generally runs six months. According to Theda Petrasko, victim’s advocate, the victim’s parents returned a victim impact statement which she presented to Judge I. Carson Crow. She said the victim’s parents were in agreement with proposed plea agreement sentencing. He will be sentenced May 19, 2017 in the Meigs County Court of Common Pleas by Judge Crow.

Morger was convicted in the matter of attempting to meet a 14-year old for sex in Meigs County. He sent pictures of his genitalia to the juvenile. Instead of meeting the minor, however, he met Meigs County Sheriff’s deputies and was immediately arrested.

Morger answered Judge Crow with “Yes, I do” or “Yes, your honor” as Judge Crow went the through charges and clarifying that Morger understood the plea agreement and changing his plea to guilty. As part of the normal questioning concerning education and comprehension of the charges and plea, Morger stated he had a B.S. in Journalism from the University of Wisconsin.

It’s not the first time Morger has been accused of using social media to contact a juvenile. Morger was accused, charged and convicted in another case in Warren County for sexting with a 12-year old. Morger used Skype to contact a 12-year old and shared photos of his genitalia with the child.

The father of two made headlines in the Cincinnati area for his crimes. When law enforcement executed a search warrant related to the 12-year old, they discovered that Morger had been manufacturing hash oil. Morger was charged in Warren County in 2014 with eight counts: one count of Endangering Children, a felony of the second degree; one count of Disseminating Material Harmful to Juveniles; along with multiple drug related charges.

In a plea agreement previously in that case, the Disseminating Material Harmful to Juveniles was dropped along with four other counts, all drug related. He was convicted in Warren County of one count of Drug Abuse, a felony of the fifth degree; Illegal Cultivation of Marijuana, a felony of the third degree; and Endangering Children, a felony of the second degree. Morger was sentenced to three years in prison.

Morger faces additional charges of violating his probation in Warren County as well. He was released to appear on those charges as Warren County had a warrant on him for the probation violations. He will remain incarcerated with Warren County until he returns to Meigs County for sentencing.

Morger appeared in court with his attorney, John C. Caspar. The state was represented by Jeff Adkins, Meigs County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney. Meigs County Prosecuting Attorney, James Stanley was also present.