Round Lake Park man on sex offender registry ordered held on new charges

A Round Lake Park man, already on the Illinois Sex Offender registry following a 2018 Lake County conviction, was ordered detained in the McHenry County Jail pending trial following a hearing Saturday morning.

Anthony D. Morales, 31, of the 300 block of Bellevue Drive, was charged this week with felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse, solicitation, traveling to meet a minor for sex, grooming, soliciting a sex act from a minor, and a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

According to the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office, Morales’ new charges in McHenry County are “the exact same crime” as the Lake County charges that put him on the sex offender registry and for which he is still serving probation. That case occurred in Vernon Hills, prosecutors said.

Assistant State’s Attorney Zach Sitkiewicz said investigators have photos of Morales entering the Johnsburg Walmart with his alleged victim. Morales, he said, has a history of buying gifts for minors “in exchange for sexual acts” or in exchange for their silence.

“He was at Walmart with the victim,” Sitkiewicz said.

According to the Illinois Sex Offender Registry, the 2018 victim was 15 years old at the time of the offense. Further details on those allegations, or the new McHenry County charges, were not immediately available.

Without detaining him until trial there was no way to prevent Morales from contacting more potential victims, Sitkiewicz said when arguing for his detainment, adding that much of the alleged crimes occurred via social media.

Social media “is fundamentally related to this case,” Sitkiewicz said.

As he ruled for the detention, Judge Michael Zasadil noted the probationary and sex offender registry conditions set for Morales as part of the 2018 case were not followed as he now has new charges.

Morales’ next appearance is set for Tuesday, July 8, at 9 a.m.