Tracy McArthur Harris, Synthetic Drug Smuggling, California 2015

FRESNO, Calif. – A shocking case of corruption has come to light in the California prison system. Tracy McArthur Harris, aka Trey Harris, 42, a federal inmate serving an 11-year prison sentence for a cocaine conspiracy, pleaded guilty today to conspiring with his brother, James Steven Harris, aka Steve Harris, 44, of Loma Linda, to smuggle synthetic cannabinoids into Taft Correctional Institution.

According to court documents, from December 2012, through April 2013, while incarcerated at Taft Correctional Institution, Trey Harris conspired to obtain smokable synthetic cannabinoids from his brother during visits. Some of the drugs, which were seized by prison authorities during the conspiracy, tested positive for XLR11, then a controlled substance analogue. In May 2013, the DEA classified XLR11 as a Schedule I controlled substance following reports by the Centers for Disease Control that XLR11 not only produces hallucinogenic effects but causes kidney damage.

Trey Harris is scheduled for sentencing on July 20, 2015, before Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony W. Ishii. He faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The case highlights the ongoing struggle to combat the production and distribution of synthetic cannabinoids, substances that look like marijuana but are sprayed or mixed with a hallucinogenic chemical. These chemicals, typically imported from China, come in hundreds of varieties and pose extreme health risks, resulting in serious bodily injury or death. According to the American Association of Poison Control Centers, exposures to synthetic cannabinoids have spiked this year, with 2,252 exposures reported from January 1, 2015, through April 27, 2015.

Steve Harris, Trey’s brother, is scheduled for a status conference on May 11, 2015, in federal court in Fresno. The charges against him are only allegations, and he is considered innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Taft Correctional Institution Investigations Department. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Escobar is prosecuting the case.

The investigation is a prime example of the dedicated efforts of law enforcement agencies to stem the tide of emerging smokable synthetic cannabinoids, substances that are often marketed and sold in smoke shops and convenience stores as “potpourri,” “incense,” or “spice.”

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