A jury has convicted John Odom Harris, Jr., age 41, of Stockton, California of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine following a 4-day jury trial in federal district court in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The verdict was returned on July 10, 2026.
The charge carries a mandatory minimum of 10 years and up to life imprisonment, a $10 million dollar fine and at least five years up to life supervised release.
Harris was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2024.
Harris was responsible for distributing over 100 pounds of methamphetamine to a co-conspirator who then distributed the methamphetamine to others in South Dakota from early 2023 to early 2024. Harris sent methamphetamine to South Dakota through the mail. He also provided it to his co-conspirator in California, who then transported the drugs to South Dakota in cars and on trains. Four other conspirators from the same drug trafficking organization have been convicted in federal court to date. Harris’s co-conspirator, Marquez McGee, was caught in possession of 42 pounds of methamphetamine in January 2024. After pleading guilty, McGee was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison in December of that year.
“Methamphetamine dealers seeking to distribute their poisonous product would be wise to cross off South Dakota from their list,” said U.S. Attorney Parsons.
This case was investigated by the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Hodges prosecuted the case.
A presentence investigation was ordered. Sentencing will be set for a later date. The defendant was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
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