JACKSONVILLE, FL — After serving a 25-year sentence for a deadly drug-related shooting in Florida, a convicted Scottish murderer is now facing deportation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Phillip Harkins, 45, who once fled to Scotland to dodge murder charges, was taken into ICE custody this week following his release from a state prison.
Harkins was convicted of murdering a U.S. citizen during a 1999 drug deal gone wrong and sentenced in 2018 following his extradition from the United Kingdom. ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officers arrested him on August 18 and transferred him to the Baker County Detention Center in Macclenny, where he is currently being held pending removal.
Originally arrested in 1996 for weapons charges, Harkins was later charged with homicide in 2000 but fled to his native Scotland after posting bond. That launched an 18-year international extradition standoff between U.S. and British authorities, ultimately ending when Scottish courts approved his transfer back to the U.S. in 2018.
His criminal history stretches beyond the United States. British courts previously detained Harkins for unrelated crimes, and he was credited over 5,600 days served overseas toward his U.S. sentence. An immigration judge ordered his removal in 2002, but the deportation process was delayed due to his legal battles and incarceration.
ICE Miami Field Office Director Garrett Ripa said the arrest reflects a broader strategy to remove foreign nationals convicted of violent crimes and safeguard American communities. Harkins’ final removal is pending coordination with U.K. immigration authorities.
Harkins remains in federal custody while ICE finalizes his deportation.