A man who was charged in July following a chase and has been charged previously on heroin and fentanyl counts was charged Thursday with fentanyl trafficking after another chase in which he was in the company of a man scheduled to appear in court in December for a 2018 shooting death.
Roanoke Rapids police Chief Bobby Martin said Katoe Harris Jr. and Ronnie Washington face the highest level of fentanyl trafficking state law allows. He said in a statement 276 grams of fentanyl were found following a search of the vehicle.
Harris has also been charged in the past following a crash in which heroin was seized as well as a case in which fentanyl was thrown from a vehicle.
In the gallery: Harris, left, and Washington
https://rrspin.com/news/3268-men-with-pending-court-dates-face-fentanyl-trafficking-counts.html#sigProIdf04ef68997
The 22-year-old Harris’s name appears nearly 30 times in the state’s court calendar with court dates set on a range of charges from October to January.
Washington, the 37-year-old driver of the vehicle, faces charges of possession of schedule II, level 3 trafficking fentanyl and possession with intent to sell and deliver fentanyl. The schedule II charge reflects a pill found during the search.
He received an $80,000 bond and November 4 court date.
Harris, the passenger, faces charges of level 3 trafficking fentanyl and possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin. He received a $60,000 bond and November 4 court date.
In a statement Martin said Thursday shortly before 2 p.m. PACE Officer J. DeSare and Narcotics Agent B. Council were informed of a potential drug deal near West Tenth and Jackson streets.
The officers noticed the vehicle described to them in the drug complaint.
The officers activated blue lights and siren to conduct a traffic stop to further investigate the complaint.
Washington continued to travel south on Hamilton Street and would not stop. He turned onto Eleventh and Hamilton streets and stopped.
The officers found numerous items of drug paraphernalia as well as marijuana packaged for sale. Martin some of the fentanyl seized was packaged for sale.
The police chief could not say with certainty whether Harris and Washington were reportedly associates in the local drug trade.
He did say the office of the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina would be contacted on the matter. “I can assure you we will be contacting the feds in regards to Katoe Harris and Mr. Washington. If you sell within the city limits of Roanoke Rapids we will introduce you to the federal system.”
Washington had been sentenced to supervised release in July of 2018 and was charged in December of that year for a September murder which occurred on Franklin Street. He had initially been jailed without the opportunity for bond.
A report on the matter indicates Washington allegedly fired at 26-year-old Andrew Bell multiple times.
In July Harris reportedly refused to stop for blue lights and siren and led Agent C. Babb on a chase that started on Waldo Street.
The chase continued onto Bolling Road and Harris was reportedly throwing items out.
He continued to run stop signs and stop lights as he headed to Zoo Road and Highway 158 where he turned and headed back into Roanoke Rapids.
Harris continued through the area of the 158-48 intersection and continued to run red lights and failed to stop for blue lights and siren.
He went through Old Farm Road and was finally pulled over at the Julian R. Allsbrook Highway Hardee’s.
A check of the vehicle showed signs of marijuana, fentanyl and drug paraphernalia.
