Kristain Harris, a 30-year-old resident of Memphis, Tennessee, was sentenced on Jan. 13 to 120 months in prison for distributing methamphetamine and a firearm in Peoria, Illinois. U.S. District Judge Jonathan E. Hawley ordered that Harris serve the sentence concurrently for three counts of distributing 50 or more grams of methamphetamine and one count of distributing five grams or more. She will also be subject to five years of supervised release.
The case highlights ongoing efforts by law enforcement to address drug trafficking and gun crimes in the region. According to information presented at the sentencing hearing on March 10, beginning in June 2024, a confidential informant working with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) purchased methamphetamine from Harris in Peoria. Each transaction was recorded without Harris’s knowledge. In total, ATF agents purchased nearly 598 grams of ice methamphetamine from her. During one transaction, Harris also sold a nine-millimeter pistol to the informant.
Harris was indicted in September 2024 and pleaded guilty the following October. The statutory penalties for distributing large quantities of methamphetamine include mandatory minimum sentences ranging from five years up to life imprisonment, depending on the amount involved.
The investigation was conducted by the Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force, which includes agents from ATF as well as local police departments and state agencies. Criminal Chief Darilynn J. Knauss prosecuted the case.
This prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that brings together law enforcement agencies and community organizations to reduce violent crime and gun violence. The Department launched an updated violent crime reduction strategy for PSN on May 26, 2021, focusing on building trust within communities, supporting prevention programs, setting strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring outcomes.
Efforts like these are intended to make neighborhoods safer by targeting those who distribute illegal drugs and firearms.
