BURTON, Mich. – A former Michigan police officer has pleaded guilty after reportedly attempting to pay a minor for sex.
Jeffrey David Morningstar, 61, was arrested during a July 2024 sting by the Genesee Human Oppression Strike Team (GHOST).
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Background: Former Michigan police officer tries to pay $125 for sex with 15-year-old, sheriff says
What happened
Genesee County Sheriff Chris Swanson said Morningstar showed up to Burton because he thought a trafficker was selling a 15-year-old girl.
“He wanted to pay the trafficker $125 to have sex,” Swanson said. “He knocked on the door and GHOST answered. Has he done it to someone who wasn’t with GHOST?”
The Genesee County Prosecutor’s Office authorized charges against Morningstar for child sexually abusive activity, using a computer to commit a crime, and accosting a child for immoral purposes.
On Monday, Aug. 25, Swanson confirmed that Morningstar pleaded guilty to using computers to commit a crime. The other two charges were dropped as part of the agreement.
He is expected to be sentenced in October.
Police background
Swanson said Morningstar went to the police academy in Detroit but never made it to the streets.
He transferred to Millington, where he worked for six years in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He also worked part-time for the Clio Police Department for about 18 months.
Morningstar moved to Florida and worked in the Longboat Key Police Department for 12 years. He was promoted to sergeant in 2014.
At the time of the sting, he was not an active police officer.