A Winter Garden man was given a guilty verdict for several drug trafficking charges Thursday, facing a minimum 25-year sentence as a result.
Jurors returned a guilty verdict for 48-year-old Lamond Harp, who was charged with trafficking fentanyl, conspiracy to commit trafficking in fentanyl and unlawful use of a two-way communications device. Harp will be scheduled for sentencing at a later date; however, his trafficking conviction carries a mandatory minimum of 25 years.
“One gram alone can result in the death of nearly 500 people,” stated Bill Gladson, Fifth Judicial Circuit State Attorney. “Harp distributed 30 grams to officials, which had the potential to kill approximately 15,000 people. I commend the officials at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Agency for getting this harmful drug dealer off our streets.”
Back in 2021, detectives with the LCSO Special Investigations Unit, along with members of the Drug Enforcement Agency, conducted an undercover operation to target known drug traffickers distributing fentanyl.
Undercover investigators were able to successfully identify Harp as a dealer and purchase a large quantity of fentanyl from him. During their investigation, Harp delivered two bags that contained 100 suspected fentanyl pills in each bag.
Authorities were able to identify the pills had markings to make it appear as if they were oxycodone hydrochloride, a schedule-II controlled substance, also commonly referred to as Percocet. The evidence was collected and submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement for official testing.
On March 9, 2022, an FDLE laboratory analyst positively identified the pills as fentanyl. Pursuant to Florida State Statute, four grams or more of fentanyl is classified as a trafficking amount. The pills weighed a total of 30 grams, which is well above the trafficking amount.
Harp was subsequently arrested on July 8, 2022, in Orange County on the arrest warrant for this case.
This case was successfully prosecuted by Assistant State Attorney Kristalle Smoller.
