Chef Accused of Using Brother's Identity in Sexual Assault, Domestic Abuse Convictions

A chef who previously owned D Mo’s in The Clarke Hotel has been convicted of sexual assault and domestic abuse-related disorderly conduct. He’s also accused of racking up debts and of owing back taxes.

It appears that the chef, whose restaurant closed in late 2011 after owing money to the hotel owners, managed to use his brother’s identity for his conviction and financial difficulties.

Known locally as Tony Hernandez, the chef was convicted under the name of Ramon Antonio Mitre-Hernandez. Later, he was using the name Dan Morales following his fourth-degree sexual assault conviction. The victim in the sexual assault case told authorities she was molested by the chef inside the hotel’s kitchen

Now the chef is being charged as Dan Morales, 35, of Milwaukee, with five counts of identity theft, Morales faces up to 15 years in prison and $10,000 in jail.

Morales’ brother, Mitre-Hernandez, came to Waukesha authorities after he was told he owed back taxes and his unemployment checks were being intercepted by the IRS. However, Mitre-Hernandez never collected unemployment and didn’t owe taxes, according to a criminal complaint filed in Waukesha County Circuit Court in March.

After Mitre-Hernandez was arrested for drunken driving, he tried to see a therapist at La Casa de Esperanza, but was turned down because of his criminal convictions. Staff at the non-profit organization told Mitre-Hernandez that someone using his identity had been treated through La Casa. When Mitre-Hernandez was shown the man’s picture, he recognized his half-brother, who is named Daniel Morales Hernandez.

When Mitre-Hernandez began investigating the issue, he learned a company under his name was facing lawsuits in New York City. Mitre-Hernandez was legally living in the United States. He believes Morales took his identification information when the brothers lived together in 2008. Morales was in the U.S. illegally for 15 years, Mitre-Hernandez told authorities, according to the complaint.

Waukesha police further investigated the issue and learned Morales had used his brother’s name and birthdate in four criminal cases. When police officers asked him if he was Morales, he told an investigator that his name was Ramon Mitre-Hernandez. After he was arrested, police asked him for the proper identification documents to process the arrest. However, he was booked under the name Morales and signed his fingerprint card as Morales, according to the complaint.

Additionally, Waukesha investigators learned Morales was using Mitre-Hernandez’s name for filling out employment forms and confirmed he was using his brother’s name for a business he owned in New York that owed taxes. Police also believe Morales was drawing unemployment benefits in Mitre-Hernandez’s name, according to the complaint.

Morales is due in court for his first appearance at 8:15 a.m. Monday.