Photographer Accused of Indecency With Child

Investigators say man met teen while shooting high school football game, asked her to come to his home for photo shoot

A Parker County photographer, who shot countless Weatherford school district sporting events faces charges of indecency with a child.

Dax Morgan, 39, is accused of luring a 16-year-old girl to his home for what was supposed to be a photo shoot.

Parker County Sheriff's Office investigators said the teenager is apparently very interested in photography and that Morgan used his position to take advantage of her.

"He lured her over there with the expressed intent, we think, of doing something to her, and he used her interest in photography against her," Lt. Mark Arnett said.

Morgan is well-known to students and parents in the Weatherford Independent School District. As a freelance photographer for a local newspaper, he frequently shoots local high school sporting events.

Investigators said Morgan met the 16-year-old on the sidelines of a recent Friday night football game and asked her to come to his home for a photo shoot.

"Things progressed to the point where there was some inappropriate touching going on by the suspect in this case on our victim," Arnett said.

The arrest affidavit states that Morgan took photographs of the girl both clothed and unclothed. Later, he persuaded her to undress so he could give her a full body massage with massage oil, according to the affidavit.

The girl's parents told investigators that their daughter was supposed to be spending the night with a friend. Instead, she ended up spending the night at Morgan's.

"The next morning, she started receiving text messages on her phone from the suspect, and when they questioned her about it, she told him what had happened," Arnett said.

Investigators said Morgan admitted during his initial interview to taking risqué photos of the girl, including one topless image. Investigators said he erased the topless image before they seized his computer and photography equipment, but computer forensic experts would likely be able to retrieve it.

Investigators also said Morgan admitted to knowing the girl was just 16.

According to the arrest affidavit, Morgan worked with students in the Weatherford High School photography club. The district said it not a school-sanctioned group and that Morgan has no official association with the district.

Morgan was arrested Tuesday. He free on a $25,000 bond.

The sheriff's office said he could face additional charges, depending on what is found on his computer and photography equipment when they are analyzed.

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