Atlantic City Police Sergeant Admits Illegally Helping Drug Dealer Buy Car: U.S. Attorney

An Atlantic City Police sergeant admitted that she manipulated financial transactions to avoid reporting requirements, and then lying about it to federal agents, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said.

Kiyia M. Harris, 39, of Egg Harbor Township, pleaded guilty to an information charging her with one count of structuring and one count of making false statements to FBI agents during two interviews in December 2014.

Harris admitted that she hid financial transactions conducted on behalf of her then-paramour, Donell Williams, who pleaded guilty on Jan. 27, 2016 to conspiracy to distribute cocaine from March 2012 to June 12, 2013, according to documents filed in the case and statements made in court.

Williams also pleaded guilty to five counts of violating the terms of his supervised release from a 2010 federal drug conviction.

Williams and Harris were engaged in a personal relationship while Harris was an Atlantic City Police officer and Williams was on probation.

In June 2012, Harris bought a 1969 Camaro for Williams. She put it in her name and arranged payments in such a way that Williams’ involvement in the purchase was “obscured.”

Currency Transaction Report (CTR) forms require disclosure of the identity of the individual who conducted the transaction and the individual or organization for whom the transaction was completed.

Many people involved in illegal activities are aware of these reporting requirements and take active steps to cause financial institutions, including car dealerships, not to file CTRs in order to avoid detection of the movement of large amounts of money or money obtained from illegal activities, including drug trafficking. The practice is referred to as “structuring.”

This typically involves making multiple cash payments, deposits or withdrawals in amounts of $10,000 or less on the same day or consecutive days in order to avoid CTR filings.

Harris caused $17,825 to be deposited in amounts less than $10,000.

On June 8, 2012, Harris paid $9,999 to the dealership.

Harris paid the balance due for the Camaro by check dated June 11, 2012, which was drawn on one of her personal accounts at TD Bank.

Some of the money Harris used to pay for the car were deposited into that same TD bank account on two separate dates at two different TD Bank branches.

Harris was interviewed by FBI agents twice, and lied both times.

In the first instance, she falsely told FBI agents that she had never deposited cash into her bank accounts when, in actuality, from Jan. 8, 2007, through Nov. 26, 2014, Harris deposited more than $120,000 into her accounts.

She also repeatedly denied having engaged in financial transactions with Williams, when she in fact had helped him with the purchase of the 1969 Camaro, as well as paying a $6,500 deposit on a 2012 Harley Davidson motorcycle.

She had been suspended without pay by the Atlantic City Police Department, pending the outcome of the case.

Harris faces a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 10.

Williams is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 7.