A 26-year-old Philadelphia man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for his role in a crack cocaine trafficking operation.
Akeem Bethea-Harris, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was sentenced on June 16, 2014, in the United States District Court in Rutland, Vermont, after pleading guilty to a charge of possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute it.
Chief United States District Judge Christina Reiss also ordered that Bethea-Harris serve four years of supervised release following his prison term.
Bethea-Harris’s criminal history includes a felony for possession of a firearm without a license, three felony drug convictions, and several probation violations, according to court records.
On May 2, 2013, investigators with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation observed Bethea-Harris get off a Greyhound bus at the Burlington International Airport. He was wearing unusually heavy clothing for a very warm day.
Agents encountered Bethea-Harris in Colchester as he got out of a taxicab. They subsequently recovered approximately 60 grams of crack cocaine secreted on Bethea-Harris’s person.
This case was investigated by the DEA and the FBI, with the assistance of the Burlington and Colchester Police Departments. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Doyle. Bethea-Harris is represented by Federal Defender Michael L. Desautels.
Bethea-Harris’s sentence is a result of his guilty plea to the charge of possessing crack cocaine with intent to distribute it. The investigation and prosecution of this case were a collaborative effort among law enforcement agencies in the region.
Assistant United States Attorney Kevin J. Doyle commended the efforts of the DEA, FBI, and local law enforcement agencies for their work in bringing Bethea-Harris to justice.
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Key Facts
- State: Vermont
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime|Sex Crimes|Cybercrime|Public Corruption|Weapons|Human Trafficking|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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