Richmond man sentenced for trafficking fentanyl, cocaine right after leaving prison

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — A Richmond man was sentenced on Wednesday after court documents state he trafficked fentanyl and cocaine immediately following his release from a previous prison sentence.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), 30-year-old Jayquan Jermaine Harris of Richmond was sentenced to four years in prison for possession of fentanyl and cocaine with intent to distribute.

Court documents state that, on Sept. 24, 2025, a trooper with Virginia State Police saw Harris run a red light. The trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop, but Harris accelerated, hitting about 65 mph in a residential area in the rain as he fled the trooper.

Over the course of a 13-mile chase, Harris reportedly hit speeds double the posted speed limit. According to the DOJ, he also ran multiple stop signs, drove on the wrong side of the road and backed into the trooper’s car.

Harris then got onto Interstate 95 North and hit speeds of over 100 mph before crashing into the median and hitting a wall.

The trooper then approached the car and, upon looking inside, noticed a plastic bag between the cupholders and the right passenger seat. It contained what appeared to be narcotics. According to the DOJ, they were later confirmed to be 5.59 grams of “a solid containing cocaine,” 7.73 grams of “powder containing cocaine” and 9.31 grams of “powder containing fentanyl.”

This offense took place just 19 days after Harris finished a previous prison sentence.

In 2021, Harris was in a vehicle that law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on. After he and another passenger fled the vehicle, officers reportedly found 10 grams of crack cocaine, 17 grams of heroin, 20 grams of marijuana and Harris’ identification.

According to court documents, Harris was convicted in Feb. 2023 on two counts of possession of Schedule I/II drugs with intent to distribute. According to the DOJ, he was in custody for this conviction until Sept. 5, 2023.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WRIC ABC 8News.