Two Palm Coast brothers are headed to prison after a yearslong cocaine trafficking investigation that authorities say turned up cocaine stuffed inside a vacuum cleaner and an air fryer, along with firearms, designer goods and nearly $101,000 in cash. A third person tied to the case, a Daytona Beach-area nurse, was arrested and is now the subject of a separate inquiry into whether she diverted medications from her job.
Sheriff Details Yearlong Takedown
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly announced the results of the investigation, which he named Operation Loose Lips, at a Friday news conference, according to WKMG. The case was led by the Flagler County Sheriff's Office Special Investigations Unit and the FBI, with assistance from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations, the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office and the Volusia Sheriff's Office, according to the Flagler County Sheriff's Office. Investigators identified Claude Harris, 38, known as “Lip,” his 36-year-old brother John Harris, and 31-year-old Aleah Fagan as top-level members of the local trafficking organization, per the sheriff's office.
Authorities say John Harris was coordinating the movement of illegal proceeds at Claude Harris' request, while Fagan was maintaining a stash house for the group. Claude Harris pleaded no contest to trafficking in cocaine and money laundering and was sentenced on Oct. 28 to 14.5 years in prison, the sheriff's office reports. John Harris pleaded no contest to sale or possession of cocaine and received a 3.5-year sentence, per the same account.
Drugs Found Hidden in Kitchen Appliances
Search warrants were executed across Palm Coast between June 5 and June 10 as part of the investigation. A search on June 6 at one Palm Coast residence turned up more than 200 grams of cocaine, roughly $13,000 in cash, three firearms, five vehicles and designer handbags, shoes and clothing, according to the sheriff's office. Detectives also found cocaine stuffed inside a vacuum cleaner and an air fryer.
On June 10, detectives searched three more addresses, including 20 Angela Drive, 40 Pine Brook Drive and 85 Farragut Drive, per the sheriff's office. At 20 Angela Drive, detectives reported finding a vial of fentanyl citrate, two vials of morphine, and clear plastic bags and a digital scale coated with a white powdery substance that tested positive for cocaine. Investigators also said the organization used a local trucking business to move large amounts of cash and jewelry to launder drug proceeds, according to the Observer.
Nurse Arrested Amid Medication Diversion Probe
Altogether, authorities reported seizing eight vehicles, five firearms, nearly 1.5 kilograms of cocaine, $100,969 in cash, hundreds of designer shoes, handbags and clothing, and dozens of pieces of jewelry. The sheriff's office says all of the seized assets were forfeited to authorities.
Fagan, who authorities say is Claude Harris' girlfriend and works as a nurse at Halifax Health in Daytona Beach, was arrested in connection with the investigation. Investigators are now determining whether Fagan used her position at Halifax Health to divert medications, with the Volusia Bureau of Investigation assisting the sheriff's office with that diversion inquiry.
