Deandre Jomar Harris, a 32-year-old resident of Beckley, pleaded guilty on Apr. 15 to distributing fentanyl.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by federal authorities to address drug-related crimes and their impact on communities. The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia improves communities and upholds justice through enforcement of federal laws, according to the official website.
Court documents show that Harris sold about 7.22 grams of a substance containing fentanyl to a confidential informant on September 10, 2024. He admitted during his plea that this transaction took place in the informant’s vehicle parked near his home in Beckley. Harris also acknowledged selling additional quantities totaling approximately 38.4 grams across four transactions between September 11 and September 24, all conducted under similar circumstances.
Harris is scheduled for sentencing on August 7, where he faces up to twenty years in prison, at least three years of supervised release, and a possible $1 million fine.
United States Attorney Moore Capito made the announcement and said he commended the investigative work done by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) along with local law enforcement agencies involved in the case: “I commend the investigative work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Beckley/Raleigh County Drug and Violent Crime Unit.”
The U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of West Virginia operates under the United States Department of Justice according to its official website. The office employs thirty-seven attorneys as well as forty other personnel who prosecute federal crimes and handle civil cases for the United States with an aim to enhance citizens’ quality of life across twenty-three counties in southern West Virginia according to information available online.
A copy of this press release can be found on the website for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for Southern District of West Virginia along with related court documents by searching Case No. 5:26-cr-7.
