GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Atlanta's WSB-TV has learned one of the men arrested in an undercover operation targeting suspected Georgia child predators used to be an umpire in Gwinnett County.
James Morriss, 49 of Dacula, was one of nine suspects identified in the "Operation End Game" bust organized by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Georgia Bureau of Investigation and local law enforcement.
Morriss and the others are accused of traveling across north Georgia with the intent of meeting up with minors for sex.
WSB-TV's Tom Regan met with the head of the Mill Creek Youth Athletic Association, where Morriss was an umpire for years.
"It's devastating. I mean, these people are out among our community. They're out among our kids. It's terrible," said Gregg Morris, who is not related to the suspect.
Gregg Morris told Regan that Jim Morriss worked through an umpiring association and called games for many years.
"Super nice guy. Never one time did we see anything out of character or alarming. Obviously, if we had, we would have had him dismissed through the association immediately," he said.
Investigators said the suspects thought they were talking to boys and girls ages 13 to 14, but they were actually talking with undercover officers.
Gregg Morris said that once the league learned of Jim Morriss' arrest, officials took action.
"We immediately called the umpiring association that we hire, and we asked him to be removed from anything we do," he told Regan.
Jim Morriss was held in the Athens-Clarke County Jail but is now out on bond.