Lincoln Man Found Guilty of Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury

United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Robert Vincent Harris, age 57, of Lincoln, Nebraska, was found guilty on August 12, 2024, of distribution of fentanyl resulting in serious bodily injury and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and heroin in federal court in Lincoln, Nebraska. Senior United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced found Harris guilty of both counts after a non-jury trial held on July 18, 2024, in which the United States presented evidence in the form of investigative reports, medical and fire department records, store surveillance video and recorded interviews with Harris and the victim.  The parties submitted written arguments and Judge Gerrard announced his verdict on August 12, 2024.

The United States presented evidence showing on February 14, 2024, Harris and the victim were at a social gathering and decided to walk to a nearby convenience store to purchase alcoholic beverages.  The victim later stated that about a week before this incident, Harris had offered to sell her some heroin.  On the way to the convenience store, the victim asked Harris if he still had heroin available.  He told her he did, and they stopped at Harris’s Lincoln apartment, where he drew out a line of powder substance on a mirror and both he and the victim snorted some of the powder.  Harris and the victim then walked to the convenience store where the victim purchased some alcohol while Harris waited outside.  After purchasing the alcohol, the victim and Harris left the store to return to the social gathering, but the victim passed out.  Lincoln Fire & Rescue was called by a clerk at the convenience store.  LFR responded and administered Narcan to the victim.  She woke up in the ambulance on the way to the hospital.

On February 15, 2024, investigators with the Lincoln/Lancaster County Narcotics Task Force interviewed the victim after her release from the hospital.  A search warrant was then obtained for Harris’s apartment.  During a search of his apartment, investigators found powder on a mirror and cut off straws matching the descriptions given by the victim.  Harris ultimately admitted he provided the fentanyl powder to the victim which resulted in her overdose.  Harris said after the victim’s overdose, he went home and used the rest of the fentanyl powder.  On February 15, 2024, he bought an additional quantity of what he believed to be heroin from his source and told investigators the powder found during the search of his apartment was what remained from the drugs he obtained on February 15, 2024.

Testing at the Nebraska State Patrol Crime Lab later showed the presence of fentanyl in the victim’s urine sample.   The powder seized from Harris’s apartment tested positive for fentanyl, meth, cocaine, and heroin.  A medical expert reviewed the case, determined the victim suffered an overdose due to her use of fentanyl and found it was likely that she would have died or would have suffered serious debilitating injuries if she had not been promptly treated with Narcan.

Harris’s phone contained text conversations between Harris and another person which occurred on February 15, 2024. In those conversations, Harris talked about the victim’s overdose the night before and his involvement.   Harris and the other person agreed that Harris would obtain drugs for the other person on that date.  Additional text messages showed the customer sent funds to Harris to pay for the drugs using a money transfer app.

Sentencing in this case is scheduled for November 25, 2024.  Harris faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years and up to life in federal prison.

This case was investigated by the Lincoln/Lancaster County Drug Task Force, the Nebraska State Patrol, and Lincoln Fire & Rescue.