Van Buren Man Sentenced To Over 11 Years In Federal Prison For Drug Trafficking

Fort Smith, Arkansas - Kenneth Elser, United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced that Marco Deandre Smith, age 41, of Van Buren, was sentenced today to 135 months in federal prison followed by three years of supervised release on one count of Possession of a Controlled Substance, namely methamphetamine, with Intent to  Distribute.  The Honorable Chief United States District Court Judge P. K. Holmes, III presided over the sentencing hearing in Fort Smith. 

According to court records, on February 17, 2017, Officer’s with the Fort Smith Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle operated by Smith for a traffic violation.  After speaking with Smith, the officer had him step out of the vehicle, handcuffed him for officer safety and had Smith sit down by the vehicles. A search of Smith’s vehicle resulted in the officer locating marijuana. As the officer went back to speak with Smith, the officer saw Smith flee on foot. The officer caught Smith and escorted him back to the vehicle. Once back at the vehicle, the officer resumed the search of Smith’s vehicle.  The Officer found multiple bricks of marijuana and four large bags of (445.4 grams) actual methamphetamine inside Smith’s vehicle. 

Smith was indicted in the Western District of Arkansas in March, 2017 and plead guilty on May 9, 2017.

This case was investigated by the Fort Smith Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Candace Taylor prosecuted the case for the United States.