Detective Lieutenant James Morgan was the head of the Lytton Police Department's Narcotics Division during the time of the Jessie Bains investigation. Due to a staff shortage in the department, Morgan recruited officer Sonny Bonds as a temporary detective. Morgan ran the Jason Taselli investigation, and later devised and oversaw the Hotel Delphoria operation to infiltrate Jessie Bains' criminal organization and take him down.
Events[]
The drug trafficking wave washing over Lytton, CA in the late 80s left the Lytton Police Department's Narcotics Division severely understaffed. To solve this issue, Detective Lieutenant James Morgan, the division's head at the time, decided to open a new position in the unit. He was hoping to fill the position with a veteran traffic officer. At the urging of Narcotics detective Laura Watts, officer Sonny Bonds applied to the position. Morgan hired him for the job immediately after Bonds arrested Jason Taselli, and partnered him with Det. Watts.
Under Morgan's direction, Watts and Bonds secured a No-Bail Warrant against Taselli, preventing him from skipping town. Morgan also instructed the pair to set up a stakeout at Lytton City Park after a tip from an informant revealed that a drug deal was about to occur at the park. This stakeout resulted in the arrest of Victor Simms and Donald Colby, who were responsible for supplying drugs at Jefferson High School.
Following these events and the escape of Jason Taselli from Lytton City Jail, Morgan instructed Bonds to investigate deeper into Taselli's background. This revealed that Taselli had been busy setting up a criminal network headquartered at the Hotel Delphoria. Additionally, Bonds got in contact with Detective John Taber of the Chicago Police Department, who revealed a connection between Taselli and major drug dealer and card shark Jessie Bains, also from Chicago. Evidence found with Taselli during his arrest suggested further that Bains may now also be operating in Lytton.
Armed with this information, Morgan devised an undercover operation which would take place at the Hotel Delphoria. Its objective was to find a way to inflitrate Taselli and Bains' crime network. Morgan instructed detective Bonds to recruit the help of prostitute "Sweet Cheeks" Marie in establishing his undercover identity at the hotel. Morgan also instructed Detective Watts to help create the fake persona, "Jimmy Lee Banksten".
Taselli was found dead at Cotton Cove, and during the final planning stage of the operation Morgan received a call from detective Oscar Hamilton of the Homicide Division, revealing that Taselli was executed - likely by Bains, who became the sole target of the operation. Morgan arranged for several detectives to go meet Bonds at the hotel when he was ready to take down the criminal masterminds, provide him with a clandestine transmitter pen, and provide backup when necessary.
The operation was ultimately successful, leading to the arrest of "The Death Angel".
Behind the scenes[]
In the remake, James Morgan was replaced with Joseph Morgan. Nevertheless, a different Lt. James Morgan does contact the player at the Hotel Delphoria, regarding Alex Jensen.