Criminal Complaint Charges Three City of Miami Police Department Officers with Federal Drug Trafficking Charges

The criminal complaint alleges that Officers Schonton Harris, Kelvin Harris and Archibald collectively provided protection to the transportation and distribution of purported cocaine, opioids and drug proceeds, in exchange for cash (bribe) payments. The Officers believed that they were protecting the activities of money launders and narcotics traffickers, when in fact they were engaged in a criminal enterprise with undercover federal officers.

The complaint alleges Officer Schonton Harris initially provided protection for a courier who was purportedly collecting drug proceeds from pharmacies and clinics engaged in the illegal sale of opioids and then depositing the money into a bank. She also allegedly acted as a police protection escort for a purported shipment of 2,000 prescription opioid pills and multiple kilograms of cocaine, that were transported to a Miami-area hotel. The complaint further alleges that Officer Kelvin Harris later joined the protection scheme. Together, Officers Schonton Harris and Kelvin Harris provided police protection for a purported money launderer. They then allegedly escorted a multi-kilogram shipment of sham cocaine. The complaint alleges, in September 2018, Officer Archibald actively joined the drug trafficking conspiracy. Believing they were working with a high-level narcotics trafficker, the three officers allegedly provided police protection for a 40-kilogram delivery of sham cocaine. On a later date, the three officers allegedly transported 30-kilograms of sham cocaine from a Miami-area marina to Miami-area hotels. Rather than protecting the couriers, the officers are alleged to have personally taken possession of the sham cocaine.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdfl/pr/criminal-complaint-charges-three-city-miami-police-department-officers-federal-drug