PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — A Fort Fairfield man who claimed to be a minister was arrested and charged Wednesday evening with a number of sex crimes.
James Morgan, 67, has been charged with gross sexual assault, unlawful sexual contact and unlawful sexual touching, according to Presque Isle Police Chief Matt Irwin.
There are allegedly two victims in the case, Irwin said Thursday, and both are children.
“The information that we have is that Morgan is a defrocked priest or minister,” said Irwin, although he was not certain of the denomination.
The chief said that over the course of the past few years, Morgan has traveled throughout the state and Canada, where he accompanied groups of children and teens on trips related to his religious activities.
The arrest occurred following an investigation by members of the Presque Isle Police Department with assistance from members of the Fort Fairfield Police Department.
Irwin said that based on the allegations and evidence that police have already recovered, there may be additional victims.
Morgan also has some connection to the University of Maine at Presque Isle and Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle as the former chaplain of PrISM, a nondenominational organization formed in 1986 that helps meet the spiritual needs of students.
Morgan was last active with the organization at UMPI in 2009, according to Rachel Rice, director of community and media relations.
A former Navy chaplain and ordained Episcopal minister, Morgan moved to Maine in 1997 to become pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Stockholm, during which an alliance was signed allowing Lutherans and Episcopalians to share clergy, sacraments and programs, according to Bangor Daily News archives.
Morgan also serves as pastor at the Gustaf Adolph Lutheran Church in New Sweden, and is listed as an adjunct instructor for Northern Maine Community College, working at the Houlton center. Requests for comment from NMCC about his employment were not immediately returned Thursday.
Police are asking the public to contact Officer Bill Scull of the Presque Isle Police Department at 764-4476 if they have further information about Morgan, his activities or any potential victims.