Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a drug dealer was sentenced to state prison today as the result of an investigation by the Atlantic City Task Force and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, which led to the man’s arrest in 2017 and the seizure of guns, a kilogram of heroin, and a kilogram of cocaine.
The sentence imposed today also reflects a separate methamphetamine case filed against him by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office.
Officials say Terrance Harris, 39, of Pleasantville, was sentenced today to 10 years in prison, including three years of parole ineligibility, by Superior Court Judge Jeffrey J. Waldman in Atlantic County.
According to authorities, Harris pleaded guilty on July 10 to a charge of second-degree distribution of heroin stemming from the 2017 investigation by the Atlantic City Task Force and HSI. Harris also pleaded guilty on July 10 to a charge of second-degree possession of methamphetamine, which was filed by the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office as the result of Harris’ arrest in Pleasantville on March 6, 2018.
Officials say Harris was sentenced today to a concurrent term of 10 years in state prison with three years of parole ineligibility on that charge.
An investigation by members of the Atlantic City Task Force and federal agents of HSI in March and April 2017 revealed that Harris was a substantial heroin dealer in the Atlantic City-Pleasantville area.
Investigators arranged multiple controlled purchases of heroin from Harris during the investigation. On June 2, 2017, investigators stopped Harris’ vehicle in Pleasantville, and with the assistance of a canine from the Pleasantville Police Department K-9 Unit, discovered a small quantity of heroin in the vehicle.
A subsequent search of a shed in the yard of Harris’ residence resulted in the seizure of a stolen 9mm semi-automatic pistol and a .223-caliber rifle with laser sight. Also seized in the shed were more than a kilogram of heroin – consisting of about 7,900 stamped wax folds of heroin, with half a dozen different brand stamps, and a quantity of bulk heroin – more than a kilogram of cocaine, suspected powder cutting agents, mixing utensils, scales and $7,465 in U.S. currency.
The seized heroin had a street value of approximately $100,000, and the cocaine had an estimated value of over $40,000.
“This prison sentence is another victory for the Atlantic City Task Force and the residents in Atlantic County,” said Director Veronica Allende of the Division of Criminal Justice. “The task force has locked up hundreds of drug dealers and gun-toting criminals since its formation in 2011, and we will continue to conduct these targeted investigations in collaboration with HSI and our other strong partners.”
“Harris was in the business of bringing violence and these deadly substances into our communities,” said Colonel Patrick Callahan, Acting Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Heroin erodes communities and ruins lives. I commend the outstanding work of our troopers and partners in the Atlantic City Task Force who worked diligently to ensure this prison sentence.”