Anchorage Couple Sentenced For Drug, Gun, And Money Laundering Charges
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - An Anchorage couple was sentenced on Friday, July 17, 2015, in U.S. District Court to serve 135 months and 72 months respectively for their involvement in drug trafficking, money laundering, and gun crimes.
Daniel Martin Harris, 28, of Anchorage, Alaska, previously pleaded guilty to drug trafficking and money laundering crimes as well as being a convicted felon in possession of multiple firearms. Daniel’s wife, Sandra Luz Harris, 26, also of Anchorage, previously admitted maintaining the couple’s Anchorage home for the purpose of distributing methamphetamine and heroin.
According to information presented to the court, Daniel Harris was a longtime heroin and methamphetamine dealer in the Anchorage area. He regularly purchased both drugs on credit from his Anchorage-based supplier. After selling the drugs, Mr. Harris then kept the profits for himself. With these funds, he purchased vehicles, including a 1977 Corvette and a 1970 El Camino, as well as other items, which he later took affirmative steps to hide from law enforcement. Mr. Harris returned the remaining cash proceeds to his source in order to promote the parties’ continued drug trafficking. Over a six month period in 2013, Mr. Harris paid his supplier approximately $508,000 in cash drug proceeds. In October and November 2013, he paid his supplier an additional $75,000 in cash earned from selling heroin and methamphetamine.
In October 2013, federal investigators raided the Anchorage house where Mr. Harris’ supplier maintained his drug operation. During the search, investigators recovered five pounds of methamphetamine, five kilograms of cocaine, and tens of thousands of dollars in cash. They also seized a detailed drug ledger cataloguing Mr. Harris’ drug distribution and money laundering activities.
One month later, in November 2013, officers of the Anchorage Police (APD) responded to a 911 call from the trailer that Mr. Harris shared with his wife and young son. While at the residence, investigators discovered that the Harris couple had stored large quantities of heroin and methamphetamine as well as numerous items of drug paraphernalia, including milk jugs full of syringes used for injecting heroin, loaded syringes full of heroin, large amounts of cash, multiple digital scales, and a money counter. In the master bedroom, investigators discovered a backpack containing approximately 331 grams of methamphetamine, 372 grams of heroin, and a loaded handgun. Elsewhere inside, they found multiple additional firearms, including an AR-15 rifle and two semi-automatic pistols, a grinder containing more heroin, and other indicia of significant, large-scale drug trafficking activities.
Following his release from custody, Daniel Harris will be on supervised release for a total of five years. The court also entered a money judgment against Mr. Harris in the amount of $583,000 - the total amount of drug money laundered as part of the case. Following her release, Sandra Harris will be on supervised release for three years, during which time she will have to complete 200 hours of community service. Mrs. Harris was not included in the money judgment as she was not directly involved in her husband’s money laundering crimes.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement (DEA), the Internal Revenue Service Criminal (IRS-CI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and (ATF), the Federal Bureau of (FBI) and the Anchorage Police (APD).
