Georgia man rejects plea offer in sexual assault, guns cases
A 71-year-old Georgia man accused of sexually assaulting a teenage girl while staying in Ledyard, and leaving illegal firearms behind when he left the state during a 2018 investigation, refused the state's offer to resolve his case during an appearance Wednesday in New London Superior Court.
Carey W. Morse last resided in Woodstock, Ga., but has been incarcerated at the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Institution since he was arrested by Ledyard police in December 2018. He is charged with first-degree sexual assault, third-degree sexual assault, risk of injury to a minor and two counts of illegal possession of an assault weapon.
During a court appearance on Wednesday, his attorney, Peter D. Catania, told a judge that Morse was rejecting an offer from prosecutor Sarah W. Bowman to plead guilty to reduced charges in exchange for a 10-year prison sentence, followed by 10 years of probation.
His decision to force the alleged victim to testify at a trial angered a male relative of the teen who was in the courtroom. The man made a comment about what Morse was putting the victim and her family through and called him a "dirtbag." A judicial marshal escorted the man out of the courtroom.
According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the Department of Children and Families and Ledyard police began investigating in 2018 after Morse described to a physical therapist how he "punished" the girl after finding pornography on her phone, and other disturbing behavior.
During a forensic interview, the teen said Morse had been pulling down her pants and touching her sexually, while telling her he was "cleaning" her, for about a year.
Morse returned to Georgia during the investigation, leaving behind three firearms and several loaded high-capacity magazines that were turned over to police. Among them were a 9 mm sub-auto machine gun and .223 caliber rifle that are illegal to own in Connecticut, according to a court document.
Judge Hillary B. Strackbein told Morse his case is being added to the trial list after warning him that if convicted, he could be sentenced to 40 years in prison.
