A change of plea hearing has been scheduled for Katoe Wardell Harris Sr., according to federal court records.

There are no other documents filed in the federal court system that give an explanation of the hearing — only a notice that says the hearing will be held December 19 in Greenville before District Judge Terrence W. Boyle.

Jury selection and trial for Harris had been set for January 8 at 10 a.m. before Boyle in Elizabeth City.

In September Harris had pleaded not guilty to the charges filed against him but documents filed last month indicated plea talks were in the works.

Harris was named in a three-count federal indictment based on a Halifax County Sheriff’s Office investigation which led to his local arrest in January in Roanoke Rapids.

In count one of the indictment the federal grand jury charges that Harris possessed with the intent to distribute crack. Count two charges that he possessed a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Count three charges that he had previously been convicted of a crime and knowingly possessed a firearm that was used in affecting commerce.

The indictment says that count one was committed after a prior felony conviction for a felony drug offense.