Garfield Heights sex offender charged with raping teen who died during Instagram date

CLEVELAND, OH (WOIO) - A Lake County grand jury has indicted a convicted sex offender in connection with the December 2017 death of a teenager in a Mentor hotel.

Quinton L. Harris, 30, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, two counts of rape, sexual battery, and two counts related to providing alcohol to someone under the age of 21.

An autopsy revealed Tre’Von Howard, 19, had alcohol poisoning and suffocated after choking on his vomit in the early morning hours of Dec. 21, 2017.

The night before Tre’Von died, the teen told his mother that he was going out with a woman named Chanel who he had recently met on Instagram.

But what Tanikia McCants says her son didn’t know was that Chanel’s legal name Quinton Harris.

Following the teen’s death, a detective asked Harris, “So, you’re transgender?”

“Yes,” Harris replied.

The detective continued, "So you’re biologically...”

“A man,” said Harris.

“Did he know this?” asked the detective.

“Yes,” said Harris.

“He didn’t know,” said McCants. "He thought he was with Chanel. He didn’t know of a Quinton. Quinton Harris did not exist, it was Chanel.”

While it is not a crime for a person to not disclose the fact that they are transgender, McCants says her son would not have gone out with Harris that night if he would’ve known.

McCants says her son also did not know that Harris is a convicted sex offender with a rap sheet full of felonies.

In 2010, Harris was charged with raping a 15-year-old boy at the Intercontinental Hotel in Cleveland. Police say the boy thought that he was going to the hotel to see a girl he had met on Facebook. Harris pleaded guilty to abduction and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor.

Records from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Correction show Harris has been sent to state prison at least eight different times since 2009.

In addition to the 2010 charges of abduction and unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, Harris has also pleaded guilty to felony charges that include forgery, theft, aggravated theft, identity fraud, carrying concealed weapons, prohibition of conveyance of certain items, receiving stolen property and misuse of credit cards.

McCants says it was just days after Harris was released from prison last November that Harris began messaging her son on Instagram.

After Tre’Von’s death, police say Harris admitted to providing the alcohol and knowing Tre’Von was only 19 years old.

Text messages obtained as evidence show Harris sent Tre’Von a photo of 151 proof liquor before the two hung out in person and wrote, “I hope you can handle it.” The teen replied, “[What] is that? I ain’t even hip.”

A medical examiner determined Tre’Von, who weight 109 pounds, had a blood alcohol concentration of .31.

Prosecutors sought rape charges because they say Harris engaged in “sexual conduct” with Tre’Von and “substantially impaired” the teen by giving him alcohol. They also say Harris knew or should’ve know Tre’Von’s “ability to resit or consent was substantially impaired because of a mental or physical condition."

Harris was arraigned Friday morning and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Right now, Harris is locked up for violating parole back in August on an unrelated case.

McCants had always believed that Harris was responsible for her son’s death, but investigators initially did not pursue charges and closed the case.

It was only after we started asking questions that the death investigation was re-opened and presented to a grand jury.

“Something’s finally being done. My son’s voice will finally be heard,” said McCants. “Had it not been for you guys, I wouldn’t have none of this. My calling the detectives every day or every couple of weeks and emailing got nowhere."

McCants says the charges against Harris don’t bring closure, but they will help her begin to move forward.

“I’m still going to fight,” McCants said. “I know it’s not over yet, I know it’s a road ahead. I’m ready for it though.”

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