Daniel P. Bubar Acting United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina | U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina
Eric Harris, aged 38, from Wilmington, North Carolina, has been sentenced to ten years in prison. The sentence is for the distribution of methamphetamine and fentanyl, possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He entered a guilty plea on January 16, 2025.
Court documents reveal that Harris traveled to Charlotte to acquire methamphetamine for sale in Wilmington. Between August 20 and September 9, 2024, the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office conducted controlled purchases from Harris. These purchases involved over three ounces of methamphetamine and 10 grams of fentanyl at Wilmington's Campus Edge Apartments. Harris was apprehended at the apartments on September 9, 2024, after the final controlled purchase. A search of his apartment uncovered an additional two ounces of methamphetamine, nineteen grams of fentanyl, and a loaded firearm.
The case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation, which focuses on high-level drug traffickers and other significant criminal networks in the U.S. The multi-agency task force relies on collaboration among federal, state, and local law enforcement to combat organized crime.
The case was announced by Daniel P. Bubar, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, following the sentencing by U.S. District Judge Louise W. Flanagan. The investigation was carried out by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms along with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Severo was responsible for prosecuting the case.
For more information on related court documents, these can be accessed via the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina's website or by searching for Case No. 7:24-cr-00092 on PACER.
