A jury was seated for the trial of a convicted felon accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting two runaway boys he took into his Anza home, using threats and intimidation to keep them under control.
Randy John Morasch, 55, could face life in prison if convicted of two dozen felony charges, including forcible sodomy, kidnapping to commit rape, assault with a firearm, supplying pornography to a minor and solicitation to commit murder.
Following nearly two weeks of jury selection at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Elaine Kiefer swore in a panel Wednesday to hear evidence in the trial, which is expected to continue into mid-December.
Morasch is being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta.
According to a trial brief filed by Deputy District Attorney Marcus Garrett, the alleged offenses occurred between 2006 and 2014 and involved a 16- year-old runaway boy identified in court documents only as “P.N.” and a 17- year-old boy identified only as “A.B.”
In the case of P.N., Morasch invited the homeless youth to stay with him at his house, located in the hills near Anza, a dozen miles east of Temecula, according to the prosecution.
Morasch worked to win over the boy’s confidence, allowing him to shoot guns, consume alcohol and ride ATVs, prosecutors alleged.
After the boy settled into the ex-convict’s home, Morasch allegedly showed him a homemade pornographic movie featuring his then-teenage son, Dennis Harrison, and the boy’s girlfriend having sexual intercourse, Garrett said.
While viewing the video, Morasch allegedly raped P.N. and forced him to perform oral sex, Garrett said.
P.N. was sexually abused on multiple occasions in the ensuing months, Garrett alleged. He said the boy made several attempts to get away from Morasch, who allegedly told the victim that he was “affiliated with the Hell’s Angels and … could have P.N. killed.”
On one occasion, the teenager ran out of the house, and Morasch allegedly “fired a gun” to stop the victim, who was not injured, according to the brief.
Ultimately, the boy was able to procure help and fled the residence permanently.
Morasch was introduced to A.B. in 2013 through a mutual friend, offering to take the runaway into his house and let him stay rent free, according to the prosecution. The teen was further permitted to use “vehicles, guns and drugs” to put him at ease — and under the defendant’s sway, Garrett stated.
However, not long afterward, Morasch asked the victim to join him in his bedroom to watch pornography, and when the teen tried to leave, the defendant allegedly “grabbed A.B., put handcuffs on his wrists, bent him over the bed and forcibly sodomized him,” according to the brief.
Morasch began using open threats to make the victim comply with his sexual demands and keep him from leaving the property, Garrett alleged.
“These threats included occasions when the defendant pointed a loaded handgun in the direction of the victim and pulled the trigger,” the prosecutor said, adding that the boy was not struck by gunfire.
A.B. reunited with his family six months later and revealed what had allegedly happened to him.
Sheriff’s investigators were alerted and were about to serve an arrest warrant at the Anza property when Morasch allegedly fled to Northern California, according to court papers.
He was tracked down by police near Sacramento, where he was taken into custody following a high-speed chase.
According to Garrett, after he was jailed, Morasch allegedly plotted to have his accusers killed and enlisted the help of his son — Harrison — who allegedly followed his father’s instructions and tried to intimidate the witnesses against him.
Harrison pleaded guilty earlier this year to witness intimidation. A longtime associate of Morasch, Debra Machelle Suit, pleaded guilty to being an accessory to a felony. Both she and Harrison are awaiting sentencing.
According to court records, Morasch has prior convictions for assault with a deadly weapon, evading arrest, burglary and receiving stolen property.
–City News Service