A Springfield man who admitted to sneaking into more than one apartment one night in 2020 — and in one apartment he got naked, crawled into bed with a sleeping stranger and sexually assaulted her — was sentenced to nine years in prison Jan. 5.
Gabriel Morales, 21, pleaded guilty and was sentenced for one count of first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree attempted rape, misdemeanor sexual misconduct, and multiple counts of first-degree burglary and second-degree burglary.
According to information presented at the sentencing hearing in Greene County Circuit Judge Kaiti Greenwade’s courtroom, Morales was 19 on Sept. 6, 2020, when he became intoxicated and burglarized two apartment buildings. Both buildings had surveillance cameras, which captured images of a shirtless Morales sneaking around inside and on the exteriors of the buildings and attempting to open numerous apartment doors.
Between the four apartments Morales entered that night and the sexual assault, Morales has a total of 10 victims, said Greene County Senior Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Joseph W. Wantuck.
“These were traumatic experiences for these victims,” Wantuck said.
In one apartment, the tenants locked themselves in the bathroom while Morales ransacked their belongings, Wantuck said.
At the sentencing hearing Friday, Wantuck spoke about the way Morales moved around the apartment buildings that night as seen in the surveillance videos — how he snuck in and out of different doors, climbed over railings and hid from security guards. Morales climbed onto a balcony in order to get into one apartment.
“These are very deliberate acts. These are very deceptive acts,” Wantuck said. “He’s a good burglar and he’s a dangerous burglar.”
Victim of sexual assault says Morales stole her sense of security
Wantuck then spoke about the sexual assault and how Morales discovered the sleeping woman in her bed room. Morales got naked, climbed on top of her and rubbed his penis on her, the prosecutor said. The victim was able to push him away.
“She was asleep in her own bed, lights off,” Wantuck said.
The victim of the sexual assault was in court to give a victim’s impact statement. She sat in the front row, flanked by supporters, until it was her time to speak.
The woman said Morales stole her “sense of security.”
“My safety in my own home has been completely wiped,” she said, crying. “The memory will never leave me. Unfortunately, it seems to be hardly a memory to Gabriel. [...] This is something I will have to live with forever.”
Defense attorney says client is not a serial burglar
Morales’ defense attorney, Stuart Huffman, acknowledged that nothing he could say would change what happened or the impact his client’s actions had on the victims.
Huffman pointed out that Morales had no criminal history prior to that night in 2020. Huffman spoke about how Morales was shirtless in the surveillance videos, that he was intoxicated and had just left the Club Rodeo, a nightclub in southwest Springfield.
“He did not set out to do this,” Huffman said. “I’ve represented serial burglars, people who cannot stop. [...] We do not have this in Mr. Morales.”
Morales did not speak at the sentencing hearing, but Huffman said his client accepts responsibility for what he did and is aware he likely will be a registered sex offender and felon for the rest of his life for something Morales did at age 19.
After a few minutes to review the case, Judge Greenwade sentenced Morales to:
Nine years in prison for first-degree sexual abuse, four years for second-degree attempted rape, nine years for each of the four first-degree burglary charges, seven years for second-degree burglary and six months for the misdemeanor charge of sexual misconduct. The sentences are to run concurrently, and Morales was given credit for time served.
