DAVENPORT, Iowa — On Wednesday, March 17, 2021, United States District Court Chief
Judge John A. Jarvey sentenced Lavelle Harris, age 36, of Burlington, to 262 months in prison for
Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine announced Acting United States Attorney Richard D.
Westphal. Following his prison term, Harris was ordered to serve five years of supervised release
as well as pay $100 to the Crime Victims’ Fund.
Harris was involved in the distribution of more than 4.5 kilograms of ice methamphetamine.
Harris has a history of violence and was designated as a career offender under the United States
Sentencing Guidelines, as he has two prior felony drug convictions. Harris was also under criminal
justice supervision at the time of this offense. The defendant was identified as a member of the Black
P Stones street gang. Harris was one of eight defendants who faced federal charges in the Southern
District of Iowa after a multi-year joint federal and state narcotics investigation which culminated
in the execution of several search warrants in various locations, including several in Burlington, on
November 19, 2020.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Southeast Iowa
Narcotics Taskforce; Burlington Police Department; Des Moines County Sheriff’s Office; West
Central Illinois Taskforce; Quincy, Illinois, Police Department; Drug Enforcement Administration;
Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement; Henry County Sheriff’s Office; Mt. Pleasant Police
Department; West Burlington Police Department; Keokuk Police Department; Ft. Madison Police
Department; Lee County Sheriff’s Office; Iowa City Police Department; Johnson County Sheriff’s
Office; North Liberty Police Department; Coralville Police Department; Muscatine County Sheriff’s
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Office; Louisa County Sheriff’s Office; Washington County Sheriff’s Office; Bettendorf Police
Department; Illinois State Police; Monmouth, Illinois, Police Department; Macomb, Illinois, Police
Department; Galesburg, Illinois, Police Department; Adams County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office; and
Fulton County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s
Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program bringing together all levels of
law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our
neighborhoods safer for everyone.
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