Mr.Perfect Ch. 7
My girl got up every morning to go to work around 6 a.m. I was usually asleep
when she left for work. However, on this particular day, the home phone rang ,which was
unusual because the only ones who ever called the house phone were bill collectors and
close family. It startled me and I was hesitant to answer it. After the third ring I picked it
up. “Hello.” It was T. “Ummm there’s an undercover car sitting in front of the house.
When I got in my car to leave they followed me for a few miles until I pulled into the gas
station”. I asked what the car looked like. She said it was a new model Crown Vic with
dark tinted windows. I had seen the same car following me in my Mercedes one day but I
thought I was just high and paranoid. I jumped up and peeped out of the window but I
didn’t see anything. I knew I was hot. I had my hands in almost all the dirt going on
around the city. At times I wanted to just walk away from it all and start over. But the
money had me hooked just like a crack head is hooked on crack. I had the feds watching
me, haters watching me, jack boys watching me, and corporate America watching me. I
never glorified the street life. At times I despised it. But then again, I could use all of this
to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. I knew that’s what God wanted
me to do, but I didn’t know the specifics. I often missed Sunday Service, however, I
talked to God on a daily basis. Instead of paying tithes, I would help complete strangers
who I felt needed it. I would ask around in the streets or post a status message asking if
anyone needed a donation for bills or something. One lady called me and explained to me
how she had custody of her sons 3 children as well as 2 of her own. They all lived in a 2
bedroom in the projects and one of the children was blind and paralyzed. He was 12 years
old and had a feeding tube and a tracheal tube that required electrical power for him to
breath at night. She said her electricity was about to be cut off the next day. My heart
went out to her so I got on my bike and rode it up to the gas station to meet her. She
started to cry when I handed her the money. She gave me a hug and told me thank you. I
lived about 3 miles from the store that I met her at. On my ride home, I thought about
how blessed I was to me alive and not in prison. I thought about all the people that I hurt
and all guys that wanted to turn their lives around and stop selling dope. I thought about
all the people that loved me because they knew the person that I was, and I thought about
the people who have never met me, but hated the air that I breathe. I gave money away all
the time to those who I felt needed it most. I gave away over $1,000 worth of shoes to
less fortunate kids. I donated Christmas gifts and played secret Santa every year around
Christmas time. I never told anyone or bragged about the people that I helped. But it was
hard for me to understand how I could kill and take away life so easily, but at the same
time, be so compassionate to complete strangers. I was especially soft for the babies
because of their purity and innocence. I started to think that I really didn’t know who I
was. I did , however know the man I dreamed of becoming one day. I wanted that perfect
like that I seen portrayed on the Cosby Show when I was a child. But how? Look at all
the wrong that I’ve done. Hell I got a brick and a half at the trap right now. I thought
about the $28,000 that I had counted with my money machine the night before. Then I
thought about my 2 little brothers and those nights my aunt and uncle had to drive up
from Crystal River at midnight to bring us some lunch meat and bread because we didn’t
have any food to eat. It was still frozen when they got there so we had to run some warm
water on the bologna to thaw it out before we could eat it. I thought about the DEA agent
that followed me in the hospital parking garage at Shands. I got out and he parked his
truck to block me in. “Mr. Harris, I love that Mercedes. I’m going to have it before the
end of the year”. I was in denial at that point and replied, “cracker you ain’t taking
nothing from me, this car, along with my other 5 in my mama name”!!! He drove off
with a sarcastic grin. He said,” yeah but I’ve bought dope from you twice already. Once
more and we’ll have you up to R.I.C.O. status. I know about all your workers, and I know
about the Mexican kid that you had killed”. I was so scared that I got back into my car
and drove back home. I called my lawyer and told him what happened. He told me to
come in and talk to him.
I went to my lawyers office that following Monday morning. I told him about the
DEA agent that was in the parking garage at the hospital. He told me that he would do
whatever I needed him to but he would need a $10,000 retainer. I said “bet”. I went out to
the rental car I was driving and gave him the ten grand on the spot. I was shook and I
didn’t know where all this heat was coming from. I kept my circle super tight, but in these
streets in Gainesville, Fl. You just never know who to trust. About an hour after I left my
lawyers office I got a call from my main plug. “Yo E, I’m in Orlando and one of my
homeboys just called me and he just had a newborn baby boy”. That meant he wanted 4.5
ounces of coke. I said, “yeah bro, just have him to call my food stamp phone”. About 15
minutes later the nigga called my phone and just so happened I already knew this dude.
At least I thought I did. “What up E, this Torry from Chiefland”. I knew him because his
sister named Tip had a kid from one of my cousins from Crystal River. So when I figured
out who he was I didn’t think twice about serving him the dope. I told him to meet me in
Majestic Oaks. I had a trap house in that apartment complex that I used strictly for a
meeting spot to sell my dope. Like I said, my circle was small. And even though
everybody thought they knew that I actually did sell dope, only 5 niggas in the city could
say that they actually bought dope from me. He was number 5. An hour later he was
knocking on the door and I let him in. Torry was a fat ,cheese ball eating looking dude.
He came and sat down on the couch. “Damn bruh you live here? This is nice as hell”! I
thought to myself that if he think this is nice, what would he think about my real house. I
said, “yeah man, this the crib”. I did have it decorated nicely with flat screens and new
furniture. But the fact was that I had this apartment for well over 2 years and never spent
more than a few hours there. And never spent one night in it. I broke out the scale and
showed him the weight of the cocaine. I had already weighed it and vacum sealed it
before he got there. 126 grams. “How much for this bruh”? I told him $3250. “You got
more”? “I said , “Damn right “. He looked at those big rocks vaccum sealed in that plastic
and stared at it for a minute. “I got $6500, but I need to go get the other half real quick.
Can you fix me up another 4 and a half? Only I need you to cook the other one for me”. I
looked at him and grinned. “Torry I can’t do all that but I can sell you another one”. He
looked surprised when I told him no but that was my answer, take it or leave it. Good
dope sell it self. And I had the absolute best cocaine up and down the Atlantic. This coke
was so good, my other customers used to call back and complain that it was locking up
too quick in the hot water and on the fork when they tried to whip it on the stove. But in
this business, that was good problem to have. Bad coke wouldn’t lock up at all and niggas
would lose thousands of dollars trying to cook it and make it lock up. Torry took the first
package and said he would call the next day for the other one. I locked up the trap house
and activated the alarm when I walked out. I called my plug back and told him that I had
seen Torry’s knew baby boy and he was cute. “Look just like his daddy”. I jumped in the
rental car and jumped on I-75 while I was still on the phone with my plug. As I got on the
entrance ramp I seen my plug shoot by me in the north bound lane on the interstate. I
thought I had either made a mistake or seen a ghost. I said, “ Bruh you say you in Orlando
at the house”? “Yeah, I won’t be back in Gainesville until the weekend”. I had that
feeling in my stomach like when a rollercoaster ride goes down the steep slope. Nah, I
know this man ain’t trying to set me up. Why would he lie to me about being in Orlando
and he right here in Gainesville? “Alright then my nigga. Just call me when you hit
town”. I hung up and called my homeboy Gusto. He was from the same area as Torry and
knew him well. He answered the phone on the first ring. “What up my nigga”? I said,
“Gusto, do you know the nigga from Chiefland named Torry”? “Torry White”?, he
responded. “Yeah, the fat greasy nigga who sister got the baby from Arthur”. What he
said next made my heart stop. “Man do not deal with that nigga. He the police for real. He
done set up like 10 niggas from Williston to Dunnellon. He just set up his own cousin
over there and his uncle and aunts won’t even talk to him anymore. Man that nigga will
tell on his own mammy to stay out of jail”. I was speechless but too embarrassed to tell
him about what I had just did. Now I am really scared because I might be hit. And it
seems to me that my own plug was in on it. Might be time for me to disappear for a
while. This is getting too crazy. I think I need to just move to Atlanta and start over. I
didn’t think things could get any worse. But little did I know, it was about to get a whole
lot worse, and fast.
The DEA had already indicted 2 of my homeboys so I knew I was next. I packed up
Patricia and my kids and headed to Atlanta, Ga. I foolishly thought that if I got out of
sight I would be out of the mind of the DEA for the second cocaine conspiracy I was
about to face. We rented a nice house in Riverdale and began to settle in. I don’t think
that we were completely done unpacking when my daughter D’asia came to me with her
cell phone in her hand. She said, “daddy, there’s some white man on the phone for you.”.
I grabbed the phone with a puzzled look on my face. “Hello”? “Mr. Harris, this is agent
Travis Deviny form the DEA. We have a warrant for your arrest. You have been indicted
on cocaine conspiracy along with 9 others. We know exactly where you are in Atlanta and
we know that you have your children there living with you. Now, if you don’t want us to
send the U.S. Marshalls to kick your door in, I suggest that you turn yourself in to our
office first thing in the morning by 8a.m. Now, you do have a bond of $500,000 You need
to find someone to care for your children and be here in the morning sir”. My heart
dropped and I could barely speak. I said, “yes sir I understand and I will be there in the
morning”. I hung up the phone and wondered how in the hell did they get my daughters
phone number. The phone was in her grand mothers name. I walked upstairs of my new
home with my head held down to break the news to Patricia. I didn’t want to tell the kids
because they had already been through so much. It would take $50,000 cash for me to
bond out and I had about half of that amount in the safe. I woke up around 3 a.m. the next
morning, kissed Patrica and my kids and jumped on the I-75 to head back to Gainesville
and turn myself in. I had already called my lawyer and my bail bondsman to tell them the
situation. Patricia had the money and said she would be down later that day once she got
the kids packed up. We had been in Atlanta for only 3 weeks. I got to the DEA office in
Gainesville a little after 8 and there was 7 agents waiting on me at the door. When I
pulled into the parking lot I noticed a Ford truck that I had seen in Atlanta while I was
gassing up. I noticed it because it had a Florida tag. They had followed me from my
house in Atlanta. They were watching me the whole time. I guess to make sure that I
turned myself in. After they placed me in handcuffs one of the agents read me my rights
and escorted me into an interrogation room. He placed a copy of the indictment papers
down in front of me and cuffed me to a steel bar that was bolted to the wall as I sat in a
chair at a desk. They asked if I had eaten and if I wanted something to drink. I shook my
head no and began to read the indictment.
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff,
v.
Eric HARRIS, Defendant.
Case No. 1:073854-SP
United States District Court, N.D. Florida, Gainesville Division.
September 1, 2010
Gregory Patrick McMahon, US Attorney, Gainesville, FL, for Plaintiff.
Jon Dirk Uman, Jon D. Uman PA, Gainesville, FL, for Defendant.
Atlanta, Ga. – Eric Harris 33, is charged with R.I.C.O. Crimes for 3 counts of possession
with intent to distribute approximately 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of cocaine and first
degree murder. The crime is alleged to have occurred from Jan. 20, 2005, to Dec. 23,
2009, in Gainesville, Fl. and will be charged under the Federal R.I.C.O. Act.5
On July 2, 2009 Eric Harris, and others were indicted for, among other things, R.I.C.O.
conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base from January
2005 through December 23, 2009 in violation of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 846 (1988). George
Reaves pled guilty and testified against Harris at trial. Other members of Harris's drug ring also testified about Harris's major involvement and King Pin status in the conspiracy,
although many admitted on cross-examination that they were not personally aware of the
exact role Harris played in specific instances, or of the exact quantity of cocaine that
Harris personally handled. A grand jury found Harris could be charged and held for trial
for all of the indicted charges, including the Sec. 846 multi-kilo cocaine conspiracy
charge, murder in aid of racketeering under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1959(a)(1), conspiracy to
commit murder in aid of racketeering under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1959, assault with a
dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1959(a)(3), two counts of
use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 924(c), and two
counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 924(c).
On April 19 of 2008, Mr. Harris was subletting an apartment from a Mr. Paul Brown in
Harbor Cove. Though he paid Mr. Brown rent, Mr. Harris did not have a key to the
apartment. Unbeknownst to Mr. Harris, Mr. Brown had been legally evicted from the
apartment, and the doors to the apartment had been locked. Mr. Harris expressed to the
apartment managers that he would like to retrieve his personal belongings from the
apartment so he could leave, but they said they could not let him. They called the Alachua
County Sheriff's Department, who sent two deputies. When the deputies arrived, Mr.
Harris explained that he needed to get his things from the apartment. The deputies agreed
to escort Mr. Harris into the apartment, but first went in alone because of trespass
warnings against Mr. Harris and the other former residents. When the deputies emerged a
few minutes later, they were holding a plastic baggie that contained 1,298 grams of what
was later determined to be cocaine. The deputies claimed to have found the cocaine in the
part of the apartment in which Mr. Harris had been living. The deputies also found an AK47 assault rifle, 12.5 pounds of marijuana, $17,523 dollars in U.S. Currency, and an
illegal Compact Disk ("CD")-creating operation in Mr. Harris' room. Mr. Harris had
previously been convicted of federal copyright infringement for illegally copying $50,000
in DVD movies and $80,000 worth of music CDs. Also in April 2000 Eric Harris was
convicted of attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm. The charges were
later dropped after a federal appeals court ruled that Harris acted in self defense. He was
then sentenced to 2 years in the Florida Department of Corrections for possession of a
firearm by a convicted felon. He was released in November 2002.
According to the complaints, this investigation began as a spin-off from a previous
investigation and prosecution of members of a drug organization that had operated in the
Crystal River and Gainesville area. Law enforcement had dubbed that investigation
"Operation Little E" The spin-off investigation arose from information provided by
cooperating defendants in the previous case, as well as information provided by other
cooperating individuals. The investigation progressed through undercover purchases of
drugs, physical surveillance, analysis of telephone call records, and, ultimately, court-
authorized wire taps of several telephones. The complaint alleges that the amount of
drugs involved in the conspiracy was at least 50 kilograms of cocaine, at least 350 grams
of crack cocaine, and at least 200 kilograms of marijuana. According to the complaint,
pursuant to the arrests of Tori White and Devico Miles, approximately 200 pounds of
marijuana was seized from a "stash" house in Alachua County, as well as a large sum of
U.S. currency. Also, an additional 3 kilograms of cocaine was seized yesterday from the
same Alachua County "stash" house during a follow-up investigation. The two men
arrested both said that they worked for Eric Harris. Harris owned homes in Crystal River, Fl. and Gainesville, Fl, and has been a target for Federal Prosecutors for over 7 years. He
recently moved to Atlanta, Ga. in an attempt to avoid this indictment. DEA agents stated
that Harris used his clothing store, Atlanta Fashions in Gainesville, Fl. as a cover up for
his cocaine operation that stretched from Crystal River, Fl. to Atlanta, Ga. Harris owned
numerous high end vehicles as well as a bright orange Mercedes CLK430 and a black
Range Rover HSE. Agents seized a black Jaguar and over $17,000 in U.S. Currency upon
his arrest on Monday as well as his home in Crystal River, Fl.
Special Agent in Charge Mark R. Trouville said, “These arrests demonstrate the
commitment of DEA to infiltrate and dismantle organized groups that traffic drugs in our
communities. We would like to commend all our state and local partners especially,
Federal Agent Mark Gomez and the Fulton County Ga. Sheriff's Office for their efforts,
which contributed to the enormous success of this investigation.” U.S. Attorney Paul I.
Perez stated, “The combined efforts of DEA and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office have
put another organized drug trafficking group out of business today. Our office is
committed to prosecuting those who bring illegal drugs to the streets of our community.”
DEA Agent Gomez stated, "We welcome the added resources of the federal, state and
other local agencies who have made this operation a success. This spirit of cooperation
and hard work has taken drugs and drug dealers off the streets of our community."
The U.S. Attorney is seeking to sentence Harris to no less than 25 years and not more
than life and a fine up to $8 million.
My girl got up every morning to go to work around 6 a.m. I was usually asleep
when she left for work. However, on this particular day, the home phone rang ,which was
unusual because the only ones who ever called the house phone were bill collectors and
close family. It startled me and I was hesitant to answer it. After the third ring I picked it
up. “Hello.” It was T. “Ummm there’s an undercover car sitting in front of the house.
When I got in my car to leave they followed me for a few miles until I pulled into the gas
station”. I asked what the car looked like. She said it was a new model Crown Vic with
dark tinted windows. I had seen the same car following me in my Mercedes one day but I
thought I was just high and paranoid. I jumped up and peeped out of the window but I
didn’t see anything. I knew I was hot. I had my hands in almost all the dirt going on
around the city. At times I wanted to just walk away from it all and start over. But the
money had me hooked just like a crack head is hooked on crack. I had the feds watching
me, haters watching me, jack boys watching me, and corporate America watching me. I
never glorified the street life. At times I despised it. But then again, I could use all of this
to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. I knew that’s what God wanted
me to do, but I didn’t know the specifics. I often missed Sunday Service, however, I
talked to God on a daily basis. Instead of paying tithes, I would help complete strangers
who I felt needed it. I would ask around in the streets or post a status message asking if
anyone needed a donation for bills or something. One lady called me and explained to me
how she had custody of her sons 3 children as well as 2 of her own. They all lived in a 2
bedroom in the projects and one of the children was blind and paralyzed. He was 12 years
old and had a feeding tube and a tracheal tube that required electrical power for him to
breath at night. She said her electricity was about to be cut off the next day. My heart
went out to her so I got on my bike and rode it up to the gas station to meet her. She
started to cry when I handed her the money. She gave me a hug and told me thank you. I
lived about 3 miles from the store that I met her at. On my ride home, I thought about
how blessed I was to me alive and not in prison. I thought about all the people that I hurt
and all guys that wanted to turn their lives around and stop selling dope. I thought about
all the people that loved me because they knew the person that I was, and I thought about
the people who have never met me, but hated the air that I breathe. I gave money away all
the time to those who I felt needed it most. I gave away over $1,000 worth of shoes to
less fortunate kids. I donated Christmas gifts and played secret Santa every year around
Christmas time. I never told anyone or bragged about the people that I helped. But it was
hard for me to understand how I could kill and take away life so easily, but at the same
time, be so compassionate to complete strangers. I was especially soft for the babies
because of their purity and innocence. I started to think that I really didn’t know who I
was. I did , however know the man I dreamed of becoming one day. I wanted that perfect
like that I seen portrayed on the Cosby Show when I was a child. But how? Look at all
the wrong that I’ve done. Hell I got a brick and a half at the trap right now. I thought
about the $28,000 that I had counted with my money machine the night before. Then I
thought about my 2 little brothers and those nights my aunt and uncle had to drive up
from Crystal River at midnight to bring us some lunch meat and bread because we didn’t
have any food to eat. It was still frozen when they got there so we had to run some warm
water on the bologna to thaw it out before we could eat it. I thought about the DEA agent
that followed me in the hospital parking garage at Shands. I got out and he parked his
truck to block me in. “Mr. Harris, I love that Mercedes. I’m going to have it before the
end of the year”. I was in denial at that point and replied, “cracker you ain’t taking
nothing from me, this car, along with my other 5 in my mama name”!!! He drove off
with a sarcastic grin. He said,” yeah but I’ve bought dope from you twice already. Once
more and we’ll have you up to R.I.C.O. status. I know about all your workers, and I know
about the Mexican kid that you had killed”. I was so scared that I got back into my car
and drove back home. I called my lawyer and told him what happened. He told me to
come in and talk to him.
I went to my lawyers office that following Monday morning. I told him about the
DEA agent that was in the parking garage at the hospital. He told me that he would do
whatever I needed him to but he would need a $10,000 retainer. I said “bet”. I went out to
the rental car I was driving and gave him the ten grand on the spot. I was shook and I
didn’t know where all this heat was coming from. I kept my circle super tight, but in these
streets in Gainesville, Fl. You just never know who to trust. About an hour after I left my
lawyers office I got a call from my main plug. “Yo E, I’m in Orlando and one of my
homeboys just called me and he just had a newborn baby boy”. That meant he wanted 4.5
ounces of coke. I said, “yeah bro, just have him to call my food stamp phone”. About 15
minutes later the nigga called my phone and just so happened I already knew this dude.
At least I thought I did. “What up E, this Torry from Chiefland”. I knew him because his
sister named Tip had a kid from one of my cousins from Crystal River. So when I figured
out who he was I didn’t think twice about serving him the dope. I told him to meet me in
Majestic Oaks. I had a trap house in that apartment complex that I used strictly for a
meeting spot to sell my dope. Like I said, my circle was small. And even though
everybody thought they knew that I actually did sell dope, only 5 niggas in the city could
say that they actually bought dope from me. He was number 5. An hour later he was
knocking on the door and I let him in. Torry was a fat ,cheese ball eating looking dude.
He came and sat down on the couch. “Damn bruh you live here? This is nice as hell”! I
thought to myself that if he think this is nice, what would he think about my real house. I
said, “yeah man, this the crib”. I did have it decorated nicely with flat screens and new
furniture. But the fact was that I had this apartment for well over 2 years and never spent
more than a few hours there. And never spent one night in it. I broke out the scale and
showed him the weight of the cocaine. I had already weighed it and vacum sealed it
before he got there. 126 grams. “How much for this bruh”? I told him $3250. “You got
more”? “I said , “Damn right “. He looked at those big rocks vaccum sealed in that plastic
and stared at it for a minute. “I got $6500, but I need to go get the other half real quick.
Can you fix me up another 4 and a half? Only I need you to cook the other one for me”. I
looked at him and grinned. “Torry I can’t do all that but I can sell you another one”. He
looked surprised when I told him no but that was my answer, take it or leave it. Good
dope sell it self. And I had the absolute best cocaine up and down the Atlantic. This coke
was so good, my other customers used to call back and complain that it was locking up
too quick in the hot water and on the fork when they tried to whip it on the stove. But in
this business, that was good problem to have. Bad coke wouldn’t lock up at all and niggas
would lose thousands of dollars trying to cook it and make it lock up. Torry took the first
package and said he would call the next day for the other one. I locked up the trap house
and activated the alarm when I walked out. I called my plug back and told him that I had
seen Torry’s knew baby boy and he was cute. “Look just like his daddy”. I jumped in the
rental car and jumped on I-75 while I was still on the phone with my plug. As I got on the
entrance ramp I seen my plug shoot by me in the north bound lane on the interstate. I
thought I had either made a mistake or seen a ghost. I said, “ Bruh you say you in Orlando
at the house”? “Yeah, I won’t be back in Gainesville until the weekend”. I had that
feeling in my stomach like when a rollercoaster ride goes down the steep slope. Nah, I
know this man ain’t trying to set me up. Why would he lie to me about being in Orlando
and he right here in Gainesville? “Alright then my nigga. Just call me when you hit
town”. I hung up and called my homeboy Gusto. He was from the same area as Torry and
knew him well. He answered the phone on the first ring. “What up my nigga”? I said,
“Gusto, do you know the nigga from Chiefland named Torry”? “Torry White”?, he
responded. “Yeah, the fat greasy nigga who sister got the baby from Arthur”. What he
said next made my heart stop. “Man do not deal with that nigga. He the police for real. He
done set up like 10 niggas from Williston to Dunnellon. He just set up his own cousin
over there and his uncle and aunts won’t even talk to him anymore. Man that nigga will
tell on his own mammy to stay out of jail”. I was speechless but too embarrassed to tell
him about what I had just did. Now I am really scared because I might be hit. And it
seems to me that my own plug was in on it. Might be time for me to disappear for a
while. This is getting too crazy. I think I need to just move to Atlanta and start over. I
didn’t think things could get any worse. But little did I know, it was about to get a whole
lot worse, and fast.
The DEA had already indicted 2 of my homeboys so I knew I was next. I packed up
Patricia and my kids and headed to Atlanta, Ga. I foolishly thought that if I got out of
sight I would be out of the mind of the DEA for the second cocaine conspiracy I was
about to face. We rented a nice house in Riverdale and began to settle in. I don’t think
that we were completely done unpacking when my daughter D’asia came to me with her
cell phone in her hand. She said, “daddy, there’s some white man on the phone for you.”.
I grabbed the phone with a puzzled look on my face. “Hello”? “Mr. Harris, this is agent
Travis Deviny form the DEA. We have a warrant for your arrest. You have been indicted
on cocaine conspiracy along with 9 others. We know exactly where you are in Atlanta and
we know that you have your children there living with you. Now, if you don’t want us to
send the U.S. Marshalls to kick your door in, I suggest that you turn yourself in to our
office first thing in the morning by 8a.m. Now, you do have a bond of $500,000 You need
to find someone to care for your children and be here in the morning sir”. My heart
dropped and I could barely speak. I said, “yes sir I understand and I will be there in the
morning”. I hung up the phone and wondered how in the hell did they get my daughters
phone number. The phone was in her grand mothers name. I walked upstairs of my new
home with my head held down to break the news to Patricia. I didn’t want to tell the kids
because they had already been through so much. It would take $50,000 cash for me to
bond out and I had about half of that amount in the safe. I woke up around 3 a.m. the next
morning, kissed Patrica and my kids and jumped on the I-75 to head back to Gainesville
and turn myself in. I had already called my lawyer and my bail bondsman to tell them the
situation. Patricia had the money and said she would be down later that day once she got
the kids packed up. We had been in Atlanta for only 3 weeks. I got to the DEA office in
Gainesville a little after 8 and there was 7 agents waiting on me at the door. When I
pulled into the parking lot I noticed a Ford truck that I had seen in Atlanta while I was
gassing up. I noticed it because it had a Florida tag. They had followed me from my
house in Atlanta. They were watching me the whole time. I guess to make sure that I
turned myself in. After they placed me in handcuffs one of the agents read me my rights
and escorted me into an interrogation room. He placed a copy of the indictment papers
down in front of me and cuffed me to a steel bar that was bolted to the wall as I sat in a
chair at a desk. They asked if I had eaten and if I wanted something to drink. I shook my
head no and began to read the indictment.
UNITED STATES of America, Plaintiff,
v.
Eric HARRIS, Defendant.
Case No. 1:073854-SP
United States District Court, N.D. Florida, Gainesville Division.
September 1, 2010
Gregory Patrick McMahon, US Attorney, Gainesville, FL, for Plaintiff.
Jon Dirk Uman, Jon D. Uman PA, Gainesville, FL, for Defendant.
Atlanta, Ga. – Eric Harris 33, is charged with R.I.C.O. Crimes for 3 counts of possession
with intent to distribute approximately 10 kilograms (22 pounds) of cocaine and first
degree murder. The crime is alleged to have occurred from Jan. 20, 2005, to Dec. 23,
2009, in Gainesville, Fl. and will be charged under the Federal R.I.C.O. Act.5
On July 2, 2009 Eric Harris, and others were indicted for, among other things, R.I.C.O.
conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base from January
2005 through December 23, 2009 in violation of 21 U.S.C. Sec. 846 (1988). George
Reaves pled guilty and testified against Harris at trial. Other members of Harris's drug ring also testified about Harris's major involvement and King Pin status in the conspiracy,
although many admitted on cross-examination that they were not personally aware of the
exact role Harris played in specific instances, or of the exact quantity of cocaine that
Harris personally handled. A grand jury found Harris could be charged and held for trial
for all of the indicted charges, including the Sec. 846 multi-kilo cocaine conspiracy
charge, murder in aid of racketeering under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1959(a)(1), conspiracy to
commit murder in aid of racketeering under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1959, assault with a
dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 1959(a)(3), two counts of
use of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 924(c), and two
counts of use of a firearm during a crime of violence under 18 U.S.C. Sec. 924(c).
On April 19 of 2008, Mr. Harris was subletting an apartment from a Mr. Paul Brown in
Harbor Cove. Though he paid Mr. Brown rent, Mr. Harris did not have a key to the
apartment. Unbeknownst to Mr. Harris, Mr. Brown had been legally evicted from the
apartment, and the doors to the apartment had been locked. Mr. Harris expressed to the
apartment managers that he would like to retrieve his personal belongings from the
apartment so he could leave, but they said they could not let him. They called the Alachua
County Sheriff's Department, who sent two deputies. When the deputies arrived, Mr.
Harris explained that he needed to get his things from the apartment. The deputies agreed
to escort Mr. Harris into the apartment, but first went in alone because of trespass
warnings against Mr. Harris and the other former residents. When the deputies emerged a
few minutes later, they were holding a plastic baggie that contained 1,298 grams of what
was later determined to be cocaine. The deputies claimed to have found the cocaine in the
part of the apartment in which Mr. Harris had been living. The deputies also found an AK47 assault rifle, 12.5 pounds of marijuana, $17,523 dollars in U.S. Currency, and an
illegal Compact Disk ("CD")-creating operation in Mr. Harris' room. Mr. Harris had
previously been convicted of federal copyright infringement for illegally copying $50,000
in DVD movies and $80,000 worth of music CDs. Also in April 2000 Eric Harris was
convicted of attempted murder and aggravated battery with a firearm. The charges were
later dropped after a federal appeals court ruled that Harris acted in self defense. He was
then sentenced to 2 years in the Florida Department of Corrections for possession of a
firearm by a convicted felon. He was released in November 2002.
According to the complaints, this investigation began as a spin-off from a previous
investigation and prosecution of members of a drug organization that had operated in the
Crystal River and Gainesville area. Law enforcement had dubbed that investigation
"Operation Little E" The spin-off investigation arose from information provided by
cooperating defendants in the previous case, as well as information provided by other
cooperating individuals. The investigation progressed through undercover purchases of
drugs, physical surveillance, analysis of telephone call records, and, ultimately, court-
authorized wire taps of several telephones. The complaint alleges that the amount of
drugs involved in the conspiracy was at least 50 kilograms of cocaine, at least 350 grams
of crack cocaine, and at least 200 kilograms of marijuana. According to the complaint,
pursuant to the arrests of Tori White and Devico Miles, approximately 200 pounds of
marijuana was seized from a "stash" house in Alachua County, as well as a large sum of
U.S. currency. Also, an additional 3 kilograms of cocaine was seized yesterday from the
same Alachua County "stash" house during a follow-up investigation. The two men
arrested both said that they worked for Eric Harris. Harris owned homes in Crystal River, Fl. and Gainesville, Fl, and has been a target for Federal Prosecutors for over 7 years. He
recently moved to Atlanta, Ga. in an attempt to avoid this indictment. DEA agents stated
that Harris used his clothing store, Atlanta Fashions in Gainesville, Fl. as a cover up for
his cocaine operation that stretched from Crystal River, Fl. to Atlanta, Ga. Harris owned
numerous high end vehicles as well as a bright orange Mercedes CLK430 and a black
Range Rover HSE. Agents seized a black Jaguar and over $17,000 in U.S. Currency upon
his arrest on Monday as well as his home in Crystal River, Fl.
Special Agent in Charge Mark R. Trouville said, “These arrests demonstrate the
commitment of DEA to infiltrate and dismantle organized groups that traffic drugs in our
communities. We would like to commend all our state and local partners especially,
Federal Agent Mark Gomez and the Fulton County Ga. Sheriff's Office for their efforts,
which contributed to the enormous success of this investigation.” U.S. Attorney Paul I.
Perez stated, “The combined efforts of DEA and the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office have
put another organized drug trafficking group out of business today. Our office is
committed to prosecuting those who bring illegal drugs to the streets of our community.”
DEA Agent Gomez stated, "We welcome the added resources of the federal, state and
other local agencies who have made this operation a success. This spirit of cooperation
and hard work has taken drugs and drug dealers off the streets of our community."
The U.S. Attorney is seeking to sentence Harris to no less than 25 years and not more
than life and a fine up to $8 million.
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