Anthea Harris
#30276-004
Federal Sentence: 15 years, 8 months (188 months)
Offense: Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Possession with Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine Court: Southern District of Florida
Priors: minor traffic violation
Date of Sentencing: August 20, 1997
Date of Birth: April 14, 1972
Projected Release Date: April 5, 2011
Nature of Offense: Anthea Harris was married to a manager and distributor in the “Gucci Hole” cocaine distribution ring in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She knew of his work but, being young and naïve, turned a blind eye to it. On October 28, 1993, Anthea reports she was going to the mall with her husband when he said he needed to stop at an apartment in Ft. Lauderdale. Two confidential informants working for local law enforcement occupied this apartment, which authorities had equipped with video and audio recording devices. The informants had previously contacted Anthea’s husband about buying ¼ kilogram of crack cocaine. When the couple arrived around 4:30 PM, Anthea’s husband removed 600 rocks of crack from Anthea’s purse, counted out 550, put the remainder back in Anthea’s purse, and sold them to the informants for $5,500. He then counted the money and gave it to Anthea, who put it in her purse. While leaving the apartment, he flashed a 9 mm handgun to the informants. Police did not immediately arrest Anthea and her husband; rather, they waited until May 18, 1994 to arrest them outside of their home in Miramar, FL. Anthea agreed to a search of their home. Police discovered 590.6 grams of crack cocaine under the kitchen sink, as well as a handgun, cash, 2.47 grams of marijuana, drug ledgers, a scale, and other drug paraphernalia.
Anthea went to trial and was found guilty on two counts but was acquitted of possession with intent to distribute the 590 grams of crack found under her sink. Instead of sentencing her, the judge ordered a new trial because he thought the evidence against her was insufficient. Anthea remained on bond for three years and successfully complied with all of her conditions. She maintained steady employment, met with her Pretrial Services Officer once a month in person and once weekly by telephone, and never tested positive for illicit drugs. In April 1997 an Appellate Court reversed the District Court’s decision for a new trial. Prior to her sentencing, Anthea reports the Government produced new witnesses to testify against her. They were part of her husband’s drug ring and received sentence reductions in return. They are currently free. Meanwhile, Anthea was sentenced to concurrent terms of 188 months for each offense, equaling 15 years, 8 months.
Sentences of Others Involved: Anthea’s husband received 405 months for the drug charges and a 60-month sentence for a gun charge, for a total of 465 months or 38 years, 9 months. In comparison, Anthea notes that the men her husband worked for only received sentences of 17 years and 15 years.
Guideline Sentence: The 550 rocks of confiscated crack weighed 754.4 grams. Including the 2.47 grams of marijuana, Anthea’s base offense level was 36. Anthea received a two-level enhancement because Floyd displayed a gun after the sale. At sentencing the judge awarded Anthea a minor role adjustment, lowering her level back to 36. A guideline range 36 with no criminal history points is 188 to 235 months. Anthea was sentenced to the shortest possible sentence under the guidelines, 188 months.
Personal Background: Anthea has two daughters: Brittany who was 7 and Deanna who was 16 months old when Anthea went to prison. The girls’ father is a resident of the Bahamas and provides no child support for the children. For the first four years of Anthea’s sentence, her daughters lived apart from each other in whatever home Anthea could find them. Altogether, Brittany has lived in six different homes and Deanna five. Fortunately, they are together now, living with Anthea’s younger sister for the past two years. But it is a difficult sacrifice for her, being a young woman forced to care for two children. They receive no other support from family members; Anthea’s mother died of breast cancer when Anthea was 17, and her father is now 81 years old.
Despite the constant concerns for her family, Anthea has worked tirelessly to leave prison a better person. She has taken parenting and co-dependency classes, and earned a certification in computers from the state of Florida. Presently, she participates in a dental assistant apprenticeship program and a choir group that sings in community churches and provides testimony of their experiences in prison.
Compiled from PSR, PACER docket and appellate court decision
7/21/03, SH and JC