Former youth softball umpire pleads guilty in child sexual exploitation case

former-youth-softball-umpire-pleads-guilty-in-child-sexual-exploitation-case

DACULA, Ga. (CBS46) A former youth softball umpire from Dacula has entered a guilty plea following his arrest on child sexual exploitation charges.

According to the FBI, 50 year-old James Hughes Morriss communicated via computer in hopes of setting up a meeting with who he thought was a 14 year-old girl. 

The girl ended up being an undercover agent.

Morriss also requested photos and traveled to Athens to meet her for sexual purposes. He was arrested on July 27.

The arrest was a result of “Operation End Game” a multi-agency effort targeting sex offenders.

“Operation End Game did exactly what it was tasked to do: Put an end to criminal attempts of predators to irreversibly harm young children,” said Debbie Garner, GBI Special Agent in Charge and Commander of the Georgia Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force in a press release. “The GBI and the Georgia ICAC Task Force will work tirelessly with our partners to protect our children against those who seek to harm them.”

Morriss is currently in federal custody and faces a maximum five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and at least three years supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for February 12, 2020.

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Source: https://www.cbs46.com/news/former-youth-softball-umpire-pleads-guilty-in-child-sexual-exploitation-case/article_2d1f90fa-0c7b-11ea-a4b1-2b5a9d39377d.html