Greenville, South Carolina---- United States Attorney Beth Drake stated today that Courtney Eugene Harris, age 37, of Greenville, South Carolina, pled guilty in federal court in Greenville, for possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, a violation of 18 U.S.C. 924(c). United States District Court Judge Timothy Cain, of Anderson, accepted the plea and will impose sentence after he has reviewed the presentence report, which will be prepared by the U.S. Probation Office. Harris faces a statutory mandatory minimum of 5 years in federal prison and a maximum of life.
Evidence presented by the government during the plea established that on April 7, 2017, agents with United States Probation conducted a home visit at the Harris’ residence in Greenville. When the agents arrived, they were met in the yard by Harris. The agents observed Harris holding latex gloves and his shirt was covered in white powder. After Harris invited them into his home, agents observed white powder covering the kitchen counter along with several small baggies located beside the white powder. Agents then called the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) for assistance.
After GCSO arrived and advised Harris of his rights, Harris told GCSO that the substance observed in the kitchen earlier by US Probation agents was cocaine that he was mixing with caffeine. Pursuant to a search warrant obtained by GCSO, deputies seized the substance, which field-tested positive as cocaine, as well as more cocaine and a 9mm pistol from Harris’ bedroom
Harris was arrested federally as part of “Operation Real-Time." The goal of this program is to identify individuals for federal prosecution with significant criminal histories who continue to actively possess firearms in the Upstate.
In addition to the GCSO and ATF, Real Time’s core partners include the Greenville Police Department, the Anderson Police Department, the South Carolina Department of Probation, Parole, and Pardon Services, the South Carolina Highway Patrol, United States Probation, the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the DEA, the 13th Circuit Solicitor’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office.
Since August of 2015, the initiative has resulted in the expedited federal prosecution of some 115 defendants and seizure of approximately 130 firearms as well as assorted ammunition from prohibited persons.
U.S. Attorney Beth Drake commended the partnership between the state and federal agencies that led to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the U.S. Attorney’s Office adopting the case, “We work best when we work together. This ‘real time’ identification of high risk offenders is smart policing, and we welcome the opportunity to work alongside our state chiefs and sheriffs in taking violent repeat offenders out of our communities."
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office, the U.S. Probation Office, and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Max Cauthen in the Greenville U.S. Attorney’s Office. ##
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
