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Detectives have arrested a registered sex offender who is accused of soliciting multiple children online for sex in McHenry County in exchange for money and alcohol.
The Algonquin Police Department received a report on June 21 of an adult male who had engaged in inappropriate contact with female children, according to Algonquin Police Department Detective Sergeant Nathanael Stenger.
Stenger said the suspect was reported to be a registered sex offender.
Detectives launched a “thorough investigation,” which identified Anthony D. Morales, 31, of the 300 block of Bellevue Drive in Round Lake Park, as the offender.
Stenger said three juvenile females, between the ages of 14 and 15, had been in regular contact with Morales.
“No further information will be released at this time due to the sensitive nature of the case and the involvement of minors,” Stenger said.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office reviewed the case and authorized seven felony charges and a misdemeanor charge.
Those include aggravated criminal sexual abuse, two counts of indecent solicitation of a child, traveling to meet a minor, grooming, two counts of solicitation of a sexual act from a child and contributing to the criminal delinquency of a minor.
A criminal complaint filed in McHenry County Circuit Court alleges Morales committed an act of sexual conduct on two different children after soliciting them.
Morales spoke with one of the victims on Snapchat and the victim identified themselves as a child, the complaint said.
The complaint said Morales arranged to meet the child at Walmart in Algonquin, nearly 30 miles from where he lived.
Morales also used Snapchat to communicate with one of the other victims and arranged a time to meet with the intent to solicit sex acts, the complaint said.
The complaint said Morales solicited and received sex from the victims in exchange for providing them with bottles of alcohol and $300.
Court documents also said Morales attempted to collude with one of the victims to prevent her from reporting him to law enforcement in exchange for money and drugs.
State records show Morales is a registered sexual predator who has to register for life after being convicted of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a child in Lake County. The victim was 15 years old and Morales was 23 at the time of the offense.
Algonquin police investigators secured an arrest warrant for Morales on Thursday and took him into custody around 7:53 a.m. without incident.
He was processed and transported to the McHenry County Jail where he remains held.
The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office filed a petition to detain Morales pending trial, which was granted by McHenry County Judge Michael Zasadil.
Morales is scheduled to appear in court again on August 1 for a preliminary hearing.
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