John Morgan
Detective John Morgan, a retired 25-year veteran of The Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Department, previously served as a Department of Homeland Security Investigations Task Force Officer assigned to the Ohio Attorney General’s Northeast Ohio Human Trafficking Task Force (NEOHTTF). Detective Morgan was instrumental in the creation of the NEOHTTF in 2016, contributing to its success in prosecuting the region’s most significant trafficking cases and championing the support and restoration of victims.
Respected and admired by his colleagues in and outside law enforcement, Detective Morgan brings his prior experience investigating violent crimes, including state and federal human trafficking investigations, to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). While assigned to the FBI Violent Crimes Task Force and The City of Cleveland Division of Police Homicide Unit, he introduced the Critical Incident documentation format for investigating Police Use of Deadly Force incidents and Inmate In-Custody Deaths (KNA Critical Incidents). This investigatory format, now adopted by the Cuyahoga County Prosecutors Office and utilized in all investigations in Cuyahoga County, is a testament to his dedication and innovative thinking. Detective Morgan played a pivotal role in the 2013 Ariel Castro investigation, which ultimately led to the rescue and justice for three women whom Castro had held captive for over a decade. His contributions were instrumental in building a strong case against Castro and ensuring a successful prosecution.
Detective Morgan has successfully investigated and prosecuted human trafficking cases for over 17 years and was involved in one of the first plea agreements and trial convictions under the Trafficking in Persons Statute in the State of Ohio. In 2018, Detective Morgan testified before the Ohio Senate (SB244), which resulted in material changes to the promoting prostitution statute in Ohio, resulting in increased penalties aimed at decreasing recidivism. More recently, Detective Morgan led the initial investigation and consulted on a significant human trafficking case that led to a sentence of 172 years to life in Lorain County, Ohio, which is the longest sentence for human trafficking in the state’s history.
Detective Morgan has received numerous awards and accolades and continues to share the insights of his many years of experience in training law enforcement officers, first responders, coroners, NGOs, and countless other stakeholders on how to more effectively identify, investigate, dismantle and prosecute Human Trafficking cases. His professional expertise and investigative skills have underpinned hundreds of critical cases and have allowed countless victims to escape a life of unimaginable exploitation. Detective Morgan is also involved in a Grant by the Department of Justice with Ohio University and the Traffic Analysis Hub to develop a dashboard to assist law enforcement with an investigative tool to increase the percentage of successful human trafficking prosecutions.
Detective Morgan has led a life of service spanning 40 years, including active-duty combat tours with the United States Marine Corps and The Ohio National Guard, participating in Operation Desert Shield/Storm and Operation Iraqi Freedom II. Detective Morgan attended The Ohio State University and was recently inducted into the Shaker Heights High School Hall of Fame for his athletic accomplishments in ice hockey and his profound commitment to making his community safer.