x
Breaking News
More () »

Little Elm man accused of trafficking Austin teen

Police have accused Morris Dwayne Turner, 45, of traveling more than 200 miles to have sex with an Austin middle school student.
Morris Dwayne Turner booking photo.

AUSTIN – A Little Elm man is facing a human trafficking charge after police say he drove more than 200 miles to pick up an Austin teen and then took the victim to a hotel to have sex with him.

The arrest affidavit for Morris Dwayne Turner, 45, states police responded to a missing child call around 1 a.m. March 30. The victim’s guardian said he had dropped the victim off at school the day before but he had not returned home. The affidavit states the victim returned to school later that day (March 30), and that another guardian was concerned he now had a cell phone and multiple hickeys on his neck.

Police were able to interview the victim in April, and noted he “appeared to be afraid to speak truthfully about the events.” The victim’s guardian consented to have police search the phone, and police was able to track contacts on the phone to Turner. After the interview, the victim told a guardian that he was being harassed by Turner and that Turner picked him up from school and took him to a Motel 6 in Cedar Park.

The affidavit states police interviewed the victim around two weeks after the initial interview to provide more information. The victim told police that Turner traveled from Little Elm to Austin to pick him up and take him from Travis County to a hotel in Williamson County. The victim said he fell asleep after Turner tried to make sexual advances on him, and that he felt he had been violated while he was asleep.

Police said they interviewed Turner, who “made several conflicting statements.” Turner initially denied meeting the victim, then later admitted to doing so. He initially said he traveled to meet the victim during South by Southwest, then admitted to meeting the victim on March 29. The affidavit states Turner admitted to taking the victim to his hotel room and dropped him off at his school the following day.

Turner was arrested Sept. 15 on a felony charge of trafficking of persons and has been booked into the Denton County Jail. Online records state he is being held on $100,000 bond.

Before You Leave, Check This Out