POLAND TOWNSHIP Salem man held in child sex case

The father of the 15-year-old boy became suspicious and contacted police.
By JOHN W. GOODWIN JR.
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
POLAND -- Township police have arrested a 32-year-old Salem man who they say has been having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old Poland Seminary High School freshman.
Police arrested William Daniel Morrell of Lisbon Road, Salem, at the township police department Monday night and charged him with felonious unlawful sexual conduct with a minor. He is being held in the Mahoning County jail.
Police reports say the boy's father contacted police about "suspicious activity" involving his son after he learned the boy had been keeping company with Morrell.
Police Chief Carl Massullo said officers started watching the boy after the inquiry by his father and learned that Morrell had been picking the juvenile up from school.
On Monday afternoon a township police officer spotted Morrell's white SUV parked in the high school parking lot and asked him why he was on school grounds.
Morrell, reports say, told the officer he was at the school to pick up a friend. He was taken to the police station for further questioning and later arrested.
Internet meeting
Massullo said police have determined that Morrell and the boy have been meeting at various locations in Poland and Boardman. He said officers are not sure when the relationship actually began.
"We don't know specifically how and when they met physically, but at this point we have determined the initial meeting was on the Internet," he said. "We do know that there was more than one occasion where they met physically."
Massullo said police are still investigating the situation. He would not speculate as to whether there have been any other minors involved with Morrell.
"The investigation is ongoing, and at this time I cannot confirm or deny that there are any other juveniles involved," he said.
Morrell was arrested in Canfield in December 2000 and again last month on charges of child endangerment.
The 15-year-old boy is cooperating with police in the investigation, Massullo added.
Brad Price, chief supervisor of intake at the Mahoning County Children Services Board, said episodes of adults who meet children through the Internet is not a big problem here at this point, but one that parents should be concerned about.
He said similar situations have happened two or three times over the past several years in the county.
Price advises parents to talk to their kids about the dangers of predators on the Internet and watch carefully what their kids are doing online.
"You must keep the communication line between parent and child open and keep kids out of the chat rooms. That is definitely the most dangerous area of the Internet," he said.