A former Florida police sergeant was charged on Thursday for allegedly soliciting a minor for sexual services.
A 60-year-old man named Jeffrey David Morningstar was arrested in July by the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office. The arrest was made as part of an operation conducted by the Genesee Human Oppression Strike Team, also known as GHOST.
Morningstar is facing serious charges including child sexually abusive activity, using a computer to commit a crime, and accosting a child for immoral purposes.
“I’ve never shied away from talking about people in professions — my own included, people from this own agency — that GHOST has identified and arrested because of the position that they have,” said Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson.
According to reports, Morningstar was apprehended in a carefully planned operation. Morningstar unknowingly engaged with an individual he believed to be involved in illegal activities, only to discover that it was an undercover detective assuming the identity of a minor.
“Prior to him coming to the location he stopped at the Kroger on Bristol Road to review the conversation just to make sure that he heard right — that he read right — that she was actually 15,” Swanson said of Morningstar.
According to Swanson, Morningstar has an extensive background in law enforcement. He has served as a police officer in Millington and Clio before relocating to Longboat Key, Fla., where he spent 12 years and eventually earned the rank of sergeant.
“He was not an active police officer at the time of arrest. He did not have identification on him. He did not have a badge or a gun. So, we know that he was no longer employed,” Swanson said.
On Thursday, Morningstar voluntarily surrendered to authorities at Genesee County District Court. He was released on a personal recognizance bond of $44,000 after his arraignment.
Morningstar is obligated to refrain from interacting with individuals who are under the age of 18, as per the terms of his bond.
Source: ABC-12 News