Drug
offender convicted in Platte County
Darrell Harris was convicted in Platte County
Circuit Court on Monday of three felony charges including
drug trafficking and possessing drugs with the intent
to distribute.
Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd’s office also
presented evidence that Harris, 42, is a prior and persistent
drug offender, which will increase the punishment for
each of his crimes.
"The evidence showed Darrell Harris is a major drug
trafficker. He has been implicated in a drug-related murder
in Kansas. He is precisely the kind of person for whom
the persistent drug offender law was designed,” Zahnd
said.
On Halloween night 2001, Harris was involved in a traffic
accident while driving on Interstate 435 near Highway
152. He fled the scene and attempted to hide a duffel
bag in a grassy area near the interstate.
Two witnesses, however, watched Harris try to hide the
bag and notified police. When officers of the Missouri
Highway Patrol located the bag, they found 194 grams of
methamphetamine, 392 grams of marijuana, 25 grams of cocaine,
two digital scales, 32 individually-packaged hypodermic
needles, and an open package of plastic sandwich bags.
As a result of the Highway Patrol’s discoveries,
Harris was charged with and convicted of felony drug trafficking
in the second degree for possessing the methamphetamine
and two counts of felony possession of a controlled substance
with intent to distribute for possessing the marijuana
and cocaine.
Harris previously had been found guilty in Wyandotte
County, Kansas for attempting to possess cocaine and later
for possession of cocaine.
Those convictions occurred in August 1995 and August
1999, respectively. Harris had more recently been charged
with felony murder in Wyandotte County. He ultimately
pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated battery for that
crime and is currently awaiting sentencing.
Zahnd said, “We are pleased that as a result of
his convictions in Platte County, Mr. Harris will spend
considerable time behind bars.”
Harris faces 10 to 30 years in prison on each count of
which he was convicted, without the possibility of probation
or parole.
Sentencing in Platte County is set for March 6.
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