Long Island Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession of Cocaine, Crack and Firearms

Earlier today, in federal court in Central Islip, Daniel Harris was sentenced by United States District Judge Arthur D. Spatt to 10 years’ imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and 28 grams of cocaine base, as well as possession of multiple firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.  Harris pleaded guilty to the charges on April 8, 2019.

Richard P. Donoghue, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, announced the sentence.

“With today’s sentence, the defendant is deservedly punished for endangering the residents of eastern Long Island with his drug dealing and arming himself to the teeth to protect his illicit business,” stated United States Attorney Donoghue.  “This Office will continue working relentlessly with our federal and local law enforcement partners to address the dangerous combination of narcotics and firearms.”  Mr. Donoghue thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and the Suffolk County East End Drug Task Force for their outstanding work on the case.

As part of an investigation into narcotics trafficking in and around Riverhead, New York, law enforcement agents and officers made multiple purchases of crack cocaine from Harris at his home in Flanders.  On November 14, 2018, Harris was arrested, and a search warrant was executed at his home resulting in the seizure of more than one kilogram of powder cocaine and over 50 grams of cocaine base, $10,073 in cash, a shotgun, a .38 caliber revolver and a 9mm. handgun.  At his guilty plea proceeding, Harris admitted that he kept the firearms to protect his drug trafficking business.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.  The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement, and the local community, to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Maffei.

The Defendant:

DANIEL HARRIS

Age: 36

Flanders, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 18-CR-628 (ADS)