Brandon Morgan charged: Amber Alert issued after missing girl report

WEST BEND, Wis. - 19-year-old Brandon Morgan made his initial appearance in Washington County court on Thursday, June 3 – accused of being with a 13-year-old Saukville girl which eventually sparked an Amber Alert last month.

Morgan faces the following criminal counts: 

• Interfere with child custody, as a party to a crime
• Felony bail jumping (three counts)

According to the criminal complaint against Morgan, Jackson police were dispatched to a residence on the morning of May 16 for a missing 13-year-old girl. A citizen-witness indicated that around 2:30 a.m., the girl was in a vehicle that was stopped by the Watertown Police Department "with a male juvenile, and two adult men," one being Morgan. The complaint indicates police attempted to contact the parents of the 13-year-old, but neither answered their phones. The citizen-witness was contacted by Watertown police to pick up the girl – which happened later that morning.

The complaint says the citizen-witness told police the 13-year-old met Morgan on Snapchat, "but could not say how long ago they started talking." The citizen-witness told police the girl indicated Morgan "gave her a brand new iPhone and was paying the bill for her." The girl told the citizen-witness she was "handing out with defendant Morgan" because he was going to Menomonie for a "new beginning and she wanted to see him before he left." The citizen-witness took the phone – and a little more than an hour later, realized the 13-year-old was no longer in the house. The complaint says she "had left without her shoes but took her phone."

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The complaint indicates an officer later made phone contact with Morgan who "stated he was currently sleeping in his car and did not want to talk. When asked about (the 13-year-old's) whereabouts, defendant Morgan stated that the last time he saw (the 13-year-old) was at the Watertown Police Department at 3 a.m. Morgan refused to provide additional information about where he was, who he was with, or what car he was in."

After the Amber Alert was issued in this case, investigators from the Menomonie Police Department ended up at an apartment complex – and located Morgan and the girl. The girl was not hurt, the complaint says, but she was taken to a hospital for clearance. Morgan was taken into custody.

On Thursday, the Washington County judge ordered cash bond of $5,000. A preliminary hearing in the case was set for June 10.