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Jacksonville, Florida – Andrew Tyler Harp, 31, of St. Augustine, has been sentenced to a decade in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to charges involving a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a large quantity of methamphetamine and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The court also ordered forfeiture of a Taurus pistol and assorted ammunition connected to his crimes.

Key Points

• The charges stem from an incident on November 24, 2021, when Harp committed a traffic offense in St. Johns County and a deputy signaled for him to pull over.
• Although he first appeared to be looking for a spot to pull over, he accelerated and ended up losing the deputy, who subsequently called for a helicopter to track Harp's vehicle.
• During the chase, Harp discarded a backpack, which was later found by deputies following the helicopter pilot's directions. The chase ended when Harp reached a dead end, abandoned his vehicle, and attempted to hide in a wooded area, where he was eventually found by canine and helicopter assistance, and arrested.
• Inside the backpack, police found about 988.3 grams of crystal methamphetamine, a digital scale, around 28.2 grams of THC wax, various sized baggies, nine .380 ammunition rounds, and a paycheck and pay statement for Harp. Harp’s fingerprints were also found on the methamphetamine's packaging.
• In Harp's abandoned vehicle, deputies found 74.5 grams of marijuana and a loaded Taurus .380 pistol. Harp, having prior felony convictions, was legally barred from possessing firearms or ammunition.