BLOOMINGTON— A Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputy responding to fragmented 911 calls on the east side of the county rescued a 34-year-old woman and led to the arrest of a 55-year-old transient man on multiple felony charges, including rape and human trafficking.
According to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the first 911 call came in at 12:28 a.m. on Thursday, October 22, 2026, from the area of N. Russell Road. During the call, a female could be heard yelling “Get off of me,” though dispatchers were unable to pinpoint a specific address or individual.
At 2:25 a.m., central emergency dispatch received a second 911 call from the same phone number, this time traced to the area of East Trail Ridge Road. A male could be heard yelling and a female crying in the background.
While units worked to narrow down the location, a deputy patrolling near the 4300 block of E. Trail Ridge Road overheard a man shouting from inside a residence. The deputy approached the property and located the suspect, identified as 55-year-old Russell Morgan, sitting in a garage. Morgan claimed he was merely “having a conversation” with a female friend.
During a preliminary sweep of the scene, deputies discovered the female victim. Investigators learned that the 34-year-old transient woman was previously paralyzed from the chest down due to medical conditions unrelated to the case.
The victim reported that she had been physically assaulted, sexually assaulted, and deprived of basic human rights, including food and water. She stated that she and Morgan had been in Bloomington for about eight weeks, during which time she repeatedly asked for help, refused to engage in a sexual relationship, and asked to leave—demands that Morgan allegedly ignored or refused.
The investigation remains ongoing. As a result of the initial findings, Russell Morgan was taken into custody and booked into the Monroe County Correctional Center on the following preliminary charges of rape, a Level 3 felony, promotion of human sexual trafficking, a Level 4 felony, domestic battery, a Level 6 felony, and criminal confinement, a Level 6 felony.
Anyone with information regarding this ongoing investigation is encouraged to contact the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent until proven guilty through a fair and due legal process. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
