Harris sentenced for probation violation

Tuesday, March 24, 1998 | 11:33 a.m.

Larry Wayne Harris, 46, of Lancaster, was already on 18 months' probation from a 1995 conviction for illegally ordering bubonic plague bacteria by mail. A judge on Tuesday wiped the remaining six months off the books and gave him another year - effectively putting him on probation for an extra six months.

Harris and a second man were arrested in Las Vegas Feb. 18 after an FBI informant said they claimed to have deadly military-grade anthrax in their possession. Charges against Harris and William Leavitt Jr., 47, of Logandale, Nev., were dismissed on Feb. 23 after tests showed the material was a harmless anthrax veterinary vaccine.

Some of those charges - that he claimed to have deadly anthrax and produced infectious disease, bacteria or germs at his home in Lancaster, about 30 miles south of Columbus - later were dismissed by federal Magistrate Mark Abel for lack of evidence.

But Abel found there was enough evidence to hold a hearing on other accusations of probation violation, and Harris was released to face probation violation charges in Ohio.

During a U.S. District Court hearing in Columbus Tuesday, Harris admitted he violated probation by lying about an association with the CIA and failing to tell authorities that he switched hotel rooms while he was in Las Vegas.

Judge Joseph Kinneary imposed the new probation, which will require Harris to report to a probation officer more often.

Harris also was ordered to serve 50 hours of community service. He could have been sentenced to up to five years in jail for violating probation.

"I am sorry for any inconvenience I caused the court," Harris told Kinneary.

Later, as he left court, Harris said only that he felt "fantastic" but wouldn't comment further.

"Larry has done nothing wrong. He committed no crimes," his attorney Curt Griffith said after the hearing.

Griffith then warned Harris: "Don't let the word 'CIA' come out of your mouth."

Harris smiled in response.