RICHMOND, VA – Deshan Harris, 21, of Richmond, is headed to federal prison for five years after being convicted of using a firearm while trafficking drugs. The sentence, handed down by U.S. District Judge David J. Novak, reflects the gravity of Harris’s actions and the ongoing federal effort to curb gun violence linked to drug dealing.
The bust unfolded on March 10, 2022, when Richmond Police observed Harris leaving a Carolina Express convenience store in the North Highland Park area. A routine traffic stop quickly escalated when Harris refused to cooperate with officers, attempting to conceal a loaded semiautomatic pistol under his leg. A subsequent search of his vehicle revealed a significant stash: 15.9 grams of crack cocaine, oxycodone pills, over an ounce of marijuana, a digital scale, packaging materials, $852 in cash, and an extended magazine packed with 9mm ammunition. Another $1,714 was found on Harris’ person.
This wasn’t Harris’s first run-in with the law regarding illegal firearms. Just eight days prior, police had seized a second concealed pistol from him. Investigators traced that weapon back to Ti’Eric Brooks, who purchased it just 28 days earlier. Ballistic evidence linked the gun to two separate shootings in Richmond: one at the Homewood Suites by Hilton and another on Porter Street, where a young man was injured.
Federal prosecutors presented this damning evidence to Judge Novak, highlighting the clear connection between Harris’s illegal gun possession and his drug trafficking activities. The prosecution, led by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Olivia Norman and Jessica Wright, successfully argued that Harris posed a significant threat to public safety.
U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Aber for the Eastern District of Virginia, along with Christopher Amon, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Washington Field Division, announced the sentencing. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a Department of Justice initiative focused on reducing violent crime by targeting the most dangerous offenders and bolstering community-based prevention programs.
The ATF’s investigation revealed a dangerous cycle of straw purchases and illegal gun trafficking fueling violence on Richmond streets. The sentencing of Harris sends a clear message: those who choose to combine drug dealing with firearm possession will face the full weight of federal law. Court documents related to the case, Case No. 3:22-cr-80, are available on PACER and the U.S. Attorney’s Office website for the Eastern District of Virginia.
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Key Facts
- Agency: ATF
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: Official Press Release
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