Former Aroostook minister arraigned,
remains jailed on sex crime charges
James Morgan
A Fort Fairfield man who served as a Lutheran minister in the New Sweden area for several years before he was suspended from the ministry in 2012 was arraigned on Friday on several sex charges.
Bail was set at $10,000 cash or $50,000 surety for James Morgan, 67, who remained incarcerated Friday evening at the Aroostook County Jail in Houlton.
Morgan made his initial appearance on the felony charges of gross sexual assault and unlawful sexual contact before Judge David Soucy in Aroostook County Superior Court in Caribou via videoconferencing equipment from the jail.
He entered no plea to the charges. Bail conditions include that he have no contact with the victims or with children under the age of 18.
Aroostook County Assistant District Attorney John Pluto said that Morgan indicated he could afford to hire his own lawyer. He was represented at the initial appearance by Robert Ward of Houlton.
Morgan was arrested on Oct. 8 following an investigation by members of the Presque Isle Police Department with assistance from members of the Fort Fairfield Police Department.
Presque Isle Police Chief Matt Irwin said that there are allegedly two victims in the case, and both are children.
The chief said that over the course of the past few years, Morgan has traveled throughout the state and Canada, where he accompanied groups of children and teens on trips related to his religious activities.
Morgan also has some connection to the University of Maine at Presque Isle and Northern Maine Community College in Presque Isle as the former chaplain of PrISM, a nondenominational organization formed in 1986 that helps meet the spiritual needs of students.
A former Navy chaplain and ordained Episcopal minister, Morgan moved to Maine in 1997 to become pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Stockholm, during which an alliance was signed allowing Lutherans and Episcopalians to share clergy, sacraments and programs, according to Bangor Daily News archives. He also served as pastor of Gustaf Adolph Lutheran Church in New Sweden.
Heidi Shott, canon missioner for communication and advocacy for The Episcopal Diocese of Maine, said Friday that Morgan last ministered at Trinity Lutheran in 2008.
She said that in January 2012, Morgan’s license to minister in Maine was revoked. In October 2012, Schott said, his license allowing him to minister nationwide was suspended.
Because of the ongoing criminal case, Shott said she could not say why Morgan’s license was revoked.
Andrew Merritt, communications director at the New England Synod-Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, said Friday that he could not comment on the case or Morgan’s arrest, but confirmed that Morgan was not currently ministering in the community.
“We take accusations like this very seriously,” he said.
Chief Irwin said the investigation continues and that based on evidence police have already uncovered, there may be additional victims. Police are asking the public to call Presque Isle police Officer Bill Scull at 764-4476 if they have further information about Morgan, his activities or potential victims.
