A Springville man who once served time in a Thailand prison and was later thrown out of the country for sexually abusing children is now accused of fondling a 12-year-old Orem boy.
Mark Edward Morgan, 37, was charged Monday in 4th Circuit Court with one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child, a first-degree felony.Orem police investigators allege that Morgan fondled a boy who helped him set up greeting card displays in stores. Morgan was working for Morgan's mother's greeting card company and the boy traveled with him to various retail outlets.
Morgan, who also goes by the name T.M. Young, was arrested Nov. 7, at his home in Springville following an interview with police. He was booked into the Orem City Jail and later transferred to the Utah County Jail. On Nov. 9, he posted $10,000 bail and was released.
According to an order signed by Thailand's ministry of interior, Morgan entered Thailand in June 1989, on a temporary visa and established a halfway house for orphan children. In 1990 he was arrested for operating a "children welfare place, children caring place and place of advising children problems" without permission. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three months in prison.
In January 1991, he was convicted of two charges of committing "indecent act on the children with the age not over 15 years old who were under the guardianship" and was sentenced to three years in prison. In August 1992, however, he received a "royal pardon."
On Aug. 28, 1992, the Immigration Division sent Morgan "out of the Kingdom" and the Ministry of Interior ordered that for the "benefits of the country, peace, good morals and happiness of the people . . . Mr. Mark Edward Morgan shall not be permitted to enter the Kingdom regardless of whatever reason."
Police said Morgan claims to have legally changed his name to T.M. Young when he returned to the United States. However, police can find no documents verifying the legality of the name change. In court Monday he gave his name as "Mark Edward Morgan."
If convicted of the charge, Morgan could face a maximum sentence of five years to life in prison and fined $15,000. Morgan will appear again before Judge Joseph I. Dimick on Dec. 20, for a waiver hearing, where attorneys will decide whether to enter a plea bargain or move forward with a preliminary hearing. Prosecutors say a plea bargain is unlikely.