Man Arrested in Vallejo Charged with Unlawful Possession of a Firearm

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a two-count indictment Thursday against Reginald Smith, 39, charging him with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense, U.S. Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Vallejo Police Department and the Solano County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vincenza Rabenn is prosecuting the case.

If convicted of the possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine offense, Smith faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum statutory penalty of 40 years in prison and a fine of up to $5 million. If convicted of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking charge, he faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, however, would be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables. The charges are only allegations; the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.