Danville Sex Offender Sentenced to Two Years for Failure to Register

URBANA, Ill. –David W. Morlan, 66, most recently of Danville, Illinois, was sentenced today to two years in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for failure to register as a sex offender.

In imposing sentence, Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm noted as an aggravating factor Morlan’s two prior failure-to-register convictions.

Morlan was arrested on January 8, 2021, and charged by criminal complaint. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Danville Police responded to an emergency call at the 900 block of Kimber St, in Danville and arrested Morlan on outstanding state warrants. According to court documents, Morlan had been living in the Danville area since October 2019 and had not registered as a sex offender during that time. Morlan’s 2006 conviction for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim under thirteen years from Vermilion County, Illinois, requires that he register as a sex offender for his lifetime.  

Following his arrest, U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long held a detention hearing on January 13, 2021, and ordered that Morlan be detained. Morlan has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.

The statutory penalties for Morlan’s failure-to-register offense are a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. 

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson, The charge is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Danville Police Department.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.