Felony charges filed against man, 26, suspected of burglary in Palm Desert near school

Felony charges were filed today against a 26-year-old man suspected of burglarizing a residence and leaving the scene, prompting a search from sheriff's deputies near an elementary school.

Mizahel Morales of Palm Desert was charged with one felony count each of burglary, assault with a gun, prevent/dissuade a witness/victim and vandalism, according to court records. He additionally faces one misdemeanor count of possessing a controlled substance and sentence-enhancing allegations of committing the crimes while out on bail and using a firearm.   

He is set to be arraigned on the charges Friday afternoon at the Larson Justice Center in Indio.

Deputies responded at 1:41 p.m. Wednesday to a report of a burglary in progress in the 43000 block of Elkhorn Trail, Riverside County Sheriff's Department Public Information Officer Sgt. Deirdre Vickers told City News Service.

It is alleged that Morales brandished a firearm and forced his way into the victim's residence, but left the scene before deputies arrived, according to Sgt. Ricardo Contreras of the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.   

As deputies searched for him in the area, a lockout was put in place at Gerald Ford Elementary School ``out of an abundance of caution,'' Vickers said.

Desert Sands Unified School District spokesperson Mary Perry told CNS that the lockout, which was lifted shortly after 3 p.m., was put in place upon recommendation from law enforcement and that parents were made aware of the situation.

Morales was subsequently found and arrested at a nearby residence, Contreras said.

He was booked into the John J. Benoit Detention Center in Indio, where he remained held on a $1 million bail bond, according to inmate records.   

No additional information was available as the investigation remained ongoing.

Anyone with additional information on the burglary was asked to call Palm Desert sheriff's station Deputy Rodriguez at 760-836-1600.

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