BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – A federal grand today indicted a convicted felon on drug and gun charges, announced U.S. Attorney Prim F. Escalona and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives Special Agent in Charge Mickey French.
A three-count superseding indictment filed in U.S. District Court charges Cantrell Dehardric Harris, 32, with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance, and possession of a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime.
According to the indictment, in April 2021, Harris illegally possessed a Glock 10mm pistol, two rounds of Barnaul 7.62 caliber ammunition, and fentanyl.
The maximum penalty for being a felon in possession of a firearm is 10 years in prison.
The penalty for possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance increases to 30 years in prison since the defendant has been convicted of a drug offense and served over 12 months for the drug offense.
The minimum penalty for possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime is five years in prison.
ATF investigated the case, along with the Birmingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristy Peoples is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
An indictment contains only charges. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.