Ohio ‘career offender’ sentenced to over 21 year in federal prison for drug distribution

Darrin Harsley, 33, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 262 months of imprisonment recently by U.S. District Judge John R. Adams after Harsley pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution of a controlled substance.

According to court documents, in August 2022, Ashtabula Police learned that a drug dealer from Cleveland nicknamed “D” was selling methamphetamine and fentanyl in the Ashtabula area. Based on a review of app and phone information, Ashtabula Police were able to identify “D” as Darrin Harsley, who had prior felony convictions for felonious assault and drug trafficking.

Then, between Aug. 30 and Sept. 15, 2022 Ashtabula Police used a confidential source to make three purchases of methamphetamine and fentanyl from Harsley. During each of those three drug sales, Harsley traveled from Cleveland to Ashtabula, where he met the source at a park and sold them methamphetamine and fentanyl. Ashtabula Police arrested Harsley following the third drug sale and found the cash from the sale in the center console of his vehicle.

According to court records, Harsley had been released from prison in 2021 after serving approximately a decade for two felonious assault convictions, each of which involved a firearm.

At Harsley’s sentencing hearing, the court determined that he qualified as a career offender based on his two prior felonious assault convictions, and was therefore subject to an increased sentencing guidelines range.

The investigation was conducted by the Ashtabula Police Department and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James P. Lewis.