Bloomfield man indicted for selling drugs that resulted in fatal overdose of Ashtabula County mother

A Bloomfield man was indicted in federal court for selling drugs that resulted in the death of an Ashtabula County woman last year, said Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja.

Shawn Ray Smith, 29, was named in a seven-count indictment. The charges include distribution of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine that resulted in the death of an Ashtabula County woman on Feb. 5, 2016.

The woman's mother told investigators that she was awakened by her grandchildren crying, saying, “Mommy won’t get up.” The woman's mother checked on her daughter and found her unresponsive, according to an affidavit filed in the case.

Additional counts include distribution of heroin and fentanyl, distribution of cocaine, distribution of heroin and distribution of methamphetamine. He was also charged with being a felon in possession of firearms.

Smith possessed three firearms, as well as ammunition, despite prior felony convictions that prohibited him from having firearms, including convictions for burglary (Ashtabula County) and aggravated drug trafficking (Geauga County), according to the indictment.

“This is another heartbreaking example of the devastating impact drugs are having on our community,” Sierleja said. “We will continue to seek long prison sentences for those who profit from other people’s misery.”

The charge related to the death of Knight carries a potential sentencing enhancement that would result in a mandatory sentence of at least 20 years in prison if convicted. If so, the the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense and the characteristics of the violations. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and, in most cases, it will be less than the maximum.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin Seabury Gould and Marisa T. Darden following an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.