Des Moines Gang Member Sentenced for Fentanyl Conspiracy

DES MOINES, Iowa – The grimy streets of Des Moines saw justice served as Kevin Stanley Harris Jr., 44, a Black P Stones member, was sentenced to 262 months in federal prison on August 27, 2025, for his role in a fentanyl distribution conspiracy.

Harris, the high-level dealer, operated out of Des Moines and traveled to Chicago, Illinois, to procurement massive quantities of fentanyl. His arrest on December 18, 2024, resulted from a seven-month investigation that culminated with the execution of thirteen federal search warrants. This operation netted approximately 610 grams of heroin/fentanyl mixture, 135 grams of methamphetamine, 260 grams of marijuana, and 19 firearms, alongside over $13,000 in cash.

Harris’s criminal history is extensive, including a prior federal conviction for drug-related offenses and weapons possession. His sentence as a career offender leaves no room for parole in the federal system, with an additional eight-year supervised release to follow.

United States Attorney Richard D. Westphal and local law enforcement agencies praised the collaborative efforts that brought Harris to justice. Des Moines Police Department Chief Michael McTaggart emphasized the importance of partnerships in combating fentanyl’s deadly reach. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Bryan Musgrove echoed these sentiments, highlighting the coordinated effort to dismantle drug trafficking networks.

FBI Omaha Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel emphasized the ongoing fight against fentanyl, underscoring Harris’s sentence as a significant step towards keeping this substance out of neighborhoods. Harris’s co-defendants are scheduled for sentencing over the coming months.

With fentanyl being the leading cause of drug overdose deaths in the U.S., particularly among youth, Harris’s conviction underscores the dire need for continued law enforcement efforts to combat the drug epidemic.