Several women detail sexual allegations against former St. Charles Parish District Attorney Harry Morel in an FBI document secured by the St. Charles Herald-Guide in a public information request.
The St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office released FBI records today (Sept. 19), which included witness statements.
Morel pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice in August involving one of his alleged victims, Danelle Keim, who agreed to FBI surveillance in the investigation. Audio and video recordings document Morel’s sexual assaults on Keim, which were outlined in a PowerPoint presentation by FBI Agent Michael Zummer, who headed the investigation.
Morel is due to begin his three-year prison sentence on Sept. 26.
Zummer’s presentation outlines the lurid details of 22 witness statements against Morel. More than 100 witnesses were interviewed and 39 polygraph examinations taken in the investigation.
Of that number, five women admitted to oral sexual contact with Morel, adding, “One with an element of force,” according to the agent’s report. Eight women admitted to other sexual physical contact with the former DA. Nine admitted that Morel solicited sex from them, and “all sexual advances were made in connection with his position as a public official.”
In exchange for sex, Morel offered leniency in criminal cases while offering help in non-criminal matters.
Zummer’s presentation also outlined statements from witnesses as follows (names were withheld, graphic content follows):
– Witness 1 states Morel pressed against her and asked for sex. Morel’s office had previously prosecuted someone for sexually assaulting this same person.
– Witness 2 asked Morel for help with a charge against a third party. “He pushed her against the wall and kissed her. She refused him. Later, she went again for help. He grabbed her, held her and kissed her during that visit.”
– When witness 3 asked Morel to drop charges against a third party, he asked for sex. “She believed Morel was turned on because he saw track marks on her arm.” Soon after, Morel called and asked for sex, which she arranged for him to “have sex with another witness.”
– Witness 4 met Morel and had sex with him to help another witness with her legal issues. “Morel also paid her,” the report states. “Witness 4 has oral sex with Morel for help with at least two other charges.”
– Witness 5 asked Morel for help with traffic issues “then he met with her for oral sex. Morel had oral sex with her a few more times. He took care of another traffic issue for her.”
– Witness 6 had a non-criminal legal issue. When offering assistance with her issue, Morel allegedly grabbed her “by the neck and forced her to perform oral sex on him. When she refused to perform again, he stopped his office’s assistance.”
– Witness 9 told the FBI that she went to Morel for help because she was concerned about a third party being charged with a crime. She states Morel grabbed her “by the neck and forced her face into his lap while he unzipped his pants. She did not perform oral sex on him.”
– Witness 14 states she met with Morel to discuss a charge and he forced her to have oral sex. When she asked for help with another charge, she alleges Morel shoved her “onto his desk and got on top of her.”
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