Street Crimes Unit asking for help locating man with nationwide warrant
Eugene Police Street Crimes Unit asks for public’s help locating wanted suspect.
Eugene Police Street Crimes Unit is asking for the public to help identify the location of man with nationwide warrant. Joe Anthony Harker, age 38, of Eugene, was a suspect in multiple large SCU operations in 2022, including fentanyl drug dealing and child neglect cases. A previous news release is included for reference, below.
Harker skipped his court dates and is now wanted. On November 8, a Lane County Circuit Court Grand Jury indicted him on 30 counts and subsequently a current National Crime Information Center (NCIC) warrant has him listed for Unlawful Delivery Controlled Substance – Heroin, Unlawful Possession Controlled Substance – Heroin, Delivery of a Schedule II Controlled Substance, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance Schedule II, Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession Controlled Substance – Methamphetamine, Felon in Possession of Body Armor, Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance – Cocaine, and Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance – Cocaine.
SCU believes Harker is in the Eugene area with his wife, Shayla Kaylawray Bennett, age 28, who is a co-defendant but is not wanted as she is making her court dates. Bennett has been renting hotel rooms in the area, with both she and Harker staying in them.
Please contact SCU Officer Joshua Sundquist with information. He can be reached by text or phone at 541-868-5096. Information received will be treated as confidential .
PREVIOUS NEWS RELEASE
Sent: Monday, September 5, 2022 2:36 PM
Eugene Police Street Crimes Unit arrested a man and seized approximately $210,000 (estimated street value) in dangerous, illegal drugs.
SCU developed information Joe Anthony Harker, age 38, of Eugene, was continuing his behaviors after he was arrested in May 2022 for several felony narcotic charges. SCU conducted a follow-up narcotics investigation regarding Harker continuing to distribute narcotics within the city of Eugene. Due to Harker’s transitory behaviors and illicit financial resources, Harker was difficult to put at one location for more than a few days at a time. EPD SCU subsequently located Harker. SCU applied for and was granted a search warrant for Harker’s local hotel room and associated vehicles.
On Friday, September 2, 2022, EPD SCU and EPD SWAT executed the search warrant. Harker was observed leaving the hotel room on foot and was subsequently taken into custody without incident away from the hotel, in a less populated area. Upon entry into the hotel room, EPD SCU found evidence consistent with narcotics distribution and seized more than $6,000 in US Currency, suspected heroin, methamphetamine, fentanyl pills, and Fentanyl powder, as well as soft body armor.
During evidence processing, a resealable bag believed to contain cocaine was discovered to be white fentanyl powder. Eugene Springfield Fire medics were staged throughout the duration of evidence handling and packaging to protect employees.
Seized during the search warrant:
- Heroin – more than 10 grams total package weight
- Methamphetamine – more than 269 grams total package weight
- White powder fentanyl – 457 grams total package weight, which equates to a little over one pound
- Blue powder fentanyl – 197 grams total package weight, which equates to a little under seven ounces
- Purple powder fentanyl – 181 grams total package weight, which equates to a little over six ounces
- Blue counterfeit Oxy 30 fentanyl (8,500 estimate count) pills – 966 grams total package weight, which equates to a little over two pounds.
- The estimated wholesale value of the seized narcotics, excluding the methamphetamine is about $70,000. The low-end street value based on current trends is approximately $210,000. One gram contains 1,000 milligrams, the average counterfeit pill contains .02 to 5.1 milligrams. Two milligrams of Fentanyl is considered lethal, depending on a person’s body size, tolerance and past usage.
Charges:
Harker was lodged at Lane County Jail on the following charges: Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance/Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance Heroin-Commercial Drug Offense; UPCS Methamphetamine-Commercial Drug Offense; UPCS/UDCS Schedule 2 (fentanyl)-Commercial Drug Offense and Felon in Possession of Body Armor. Case 22-13296
SCU works in concert with communities to help solve issues. The unit focuses on prolific offenders, who are identified through intelligence-based policing, public tips and other sources. They proactively respond across the city to quality of life issues as they arise, using all available resources and partners such as community groups, neighborhood associations and city services. SCU is dedicated to targeting immediate and acute community safety system issues while working toward mission-critical enhancements that need to be addressed through a longer-term and broader community safety initiative. The unit currently consists of a lieutenant, a sergeant and five officers, including one officer with a drug detection K9.
Original Article: Source