The U.S. Marshals-led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is putting up a reward for tips that lead to the capture of 34-year-old Gregory Harris, who authorities say is wanted on several warrants across Northeast Ohio. Officials describe Harris as about 5 feet, 3 inches tall and roughly 185 pounds, and say he is known to spend time in the Cleveland area.
What he is wanted for
According to WOIO, Wickliffe police are seeking Harris on a fleeing and eluding count, Cleveland police list him for failure to comply, Bedford police say he is wanted for trafficking cocaine, and the Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office has a probation-violation warrant. WOIO also shared a photo, credited to the U.S. Marshals, that investigators are circulating as they look for fresh leads.
How to report a tip
Anyone with information on Harris can call the Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at 1-866-4WANTED (1-866-492-6833) or submit a web tip to the U.S. Marshals Service. Officials say tipsters can stay anonymous and that reward money may be available for information that helps bring Harris into custody. For details on how to send in tips and what contact options are available, see the tip page from the U.S. Marshals and related task force notices from the Northern District on the U.S. Marshals website.
Task force pulls local agencies together
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force combines federal marshals with city and county agencies so officers can track fugitives across jurisdictional lines instead of stopping at the city limits. Officials credit that setup with leading to thousands of arrests in recent years. Coverage of that broader role and the task force’s recent milestones has highlighted how often the team is called in on high-profile manhunts.
What the charges could mean
Trafficking in cocaine is prosecuted under Ohio law and can be charged anywhere from a fifth-degree felony to a first-degree felony, depending on the amount involved and other circumstances, according to the Ohio Revised Code. Failure to comply with an officer’s signal, often referred to as fleeing and eluding, is spelled out at ORC §2921.331 and can be treated as a misdemeanor or elevated to a felony if certain aggravating factors are present, per the Ohio Revised Code.
What officials say comes next
Authorities are urging Cleveland-area residents to stay alert but not to take matters into their own hands if they think they see Harris. Instead, they want people to contact the fugitive task force and let trained officers handle any attempt to make an arrest, officials told WOIO. The station reports that tipsters can remain anonymous and might be eligible for reward money if their information leads to an arrest.
