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A Youngstown man was sentenced Friday to about 11 1/2 years in federal prison on convictions of drug and weapons charges.
Bryan Harris, 37, of Auburndale Avenue, Youngstown, appeared before Judge Christopher Boyko of U.S. Northern Ohio District Court. He was given 139 months in prison, followed by a term of three years of supervised release, followed by a $400 special assessment.
He pleaded guilty Oct. 20, 2022, to two counts of distribution of crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
According to a government memo about the case, DEA agents conducted two controlled buys of crack cocaine from Harris thrugh a confidential source in April 2021. The report states the source gave Harris $800 in exchange for 14 grams of crack cocaine. Two weeks later, the source purchased additional crack for $900 from his Auburndale address.
On May 6, 2021, agents obtained a search warrant for Harris' South Side home and recovered cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, sandwich bags, three firearms with ammunition, a digital scale, several cellphones and a metal press marked "The Brick." Harris was indicted in March 2022 and released from jail on a $20,000 bond.
The government memo stated Harris has received drug treatment and has been sober as of May 2021. Government attorneys had recommended a sentence of 150 months or less.
The defendant's sentencing memo written by defense attorney Marcus Sidon pointed out Harris' criminal history spanned about two decades and he has struggled with drug addiction.
"Bryan's lengthy but relatively small-time criminal history is simply not in the same league as the violent offenders, drug kingpins and perpetrators of far more serious offenses," the attorney wrote.
Sidon had asked for a sentence in the range of 70 to 87 months.