Sister of crime ring members faces up to life in prison

The sister of some of the men convicted of running a crime ring in Manatee and Sarasota counties has been convicted of threatening witnesses, lying to law enforcement and attempting to assist at least one of her brothers obtain a false alibi.

Delexsia Harris, 24, was convicted by a federal jury Thursday of tampering with witnesses and obstruction of justice.

She will be sentenced on Dec. 20 and faces up to life in prison.

The six men in the crime ring, some of whom are Harris’ brothers, were all convicted on Sept. 8 of running a conspiracy to traffic in drugs and were each convicted of additional charges that include murder, conspiracy and robbery.

Delexsia Harris was first indicted on May 25 and arrested two days later on federal charges of tampering and obstruction. She has been held at the Hillsborough County jail since her arrest.

On Monday, her trial got underway at the U.S. District Court in Tampa, and the jury rendered the verdict early Thursday afternoon after deliberating for about an hour.

Beginning at an unknown date and through about May 25, Delexsia Harris threatened and used intimidation to influence or prevent the testimony of at least two witnesses in the trial of the crime ring members.

The jury found she also influenced, obstructed and impeded justice in that case by:

▪ Threatening the lives of one witness and her children after the murder of Brenton Coleman Sr. in 2013.

▪ Intimidating or threatening witnesses through social media on or about May 2016.

▪ Assisting Charlie Green in attempting to get a false alibi testimony.

▪ Making false statements to law enforcement regarding the murder of Ceola Lazier.

This story was originally published September 22, 2016 at 3:25 PM with the headline "Sister of crime ring members faces up to life in prison."