Kalamazoo Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 30 Years in Federal Prison

GRAND RAPIDS – U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey today announced that Keith Smith, 46, from Kalamazoo, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

VerHey said, “A thirty-year sentence is a long time, but Keith Smith worked hard to earn it.  He got federal attention because his drug trafficking was killing people in Kalamazoo.  Nothing short of a long prison term will stop Smith from dealing drugs: When we charged him, Smith already had many drug convictions in state court, and he went right back to moving large amounts of methamphetamine, while illegally armed with guns, while under federal court supervision. The community is safer without Smith in it.”

In 2022, investigators used a confidential informant to buy a pound of methamphetamine from Keith Smith.  They subsequently searched Smith’s home, where a woman was found dead from drug poisoning, and seized more than two kilograms of methamphetamine from inside the residence.  They also searched Smith’s car and found fentanyl, cocaine, and a stolen pistol.  A federal grand jury indicted Smith for that conduct and he was released on bond.  While free, investigators found that Smith was still dealing drugs.  On January 13, 2025, police caught Smith with a package containing more than 13 pounds of methamphetamine.  Smith was a career offender under the federal sentencing guidelines based on his offense conduct in this case and his criminal history, which included more than ten prior felony convictions, including six for dealing drugs.

“Mr. Smith is a career criminal.  We hope this sentence sends a message to those who continue to commit criminal activity in and around Kalamazoo,” said Captain Michael Ferguson of the Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team (KVET).

“Through DEA’s combined efforts with KVET and the U.S. Postal Inspectors Service, we are able to take another violent criminal off the streets and prevent the poisoning and potential overdoses of many American citizens,” said Special Agent in Charge Andrew Lawton. “This was an individual who showed no remorse in his criminal actions by continuing to bring lethal amounts of narcotics into the communities while awaiting adjudication for other extremely serious and harmful crimes.  Yesterday’s sentencing will reflect the seriousness of Mr. Smith’s crimes and bring a small measure of relief in western Michigan.”

This case was investigated by KVET, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Austin Hakes, Dan McGraw, Jonathan Roth, Olivia Ghiselli, and Alex Jansen.