GWINNETT COUNTY, Ga. — Channel 2 Action News has learned one of the men arrested in an undercover operation targeting child predators used to be an umpire in Gwinnett County
James Morriss, 49 of Dacula, was one of nine suspects identified in the "Operation End Game" bust organized by the FBI, GBI and local law enforcement.
[MUGSHOTS: 9 arrested in undercover sting targeting child predators]
Morriss and the others are accused of traveling across north Georgia with the intent of meeting up with minors for sex.
Channel 2's Tom Regan met with the head of the Mill Creek Youth Athletic Association, where Morriss was an umpire for years.
"It's devastating. I mean these people are out among our community. They're out among our kids. It's terrible" said Gregg Morris, who is not related to the suspect.
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Gregg Morris told Regan that Jim Morriss worked through an umpiring association and called games for many years.
"Super nice guy. Never one time did we see anything out of character or alarming. Obviously if we had, we would have had him dismissed through the association immediately," he said.
Investigators said the suspects thought they were talking to boys and girls ages 13 to 14, but they were actually talling with undercover officers.
Gregg Morris said once the league learned of Jim Morriss' arrest, they took action.
"We immediately called the umpiring association that we hire, and we asked him to be removed from anything we do," he told Regan.
Jim Morriss was held in the Athens-Clarke County Jail but is now out on bond.