Springfield Man Aaron Smith Gets 37 Months for Crack, Weed Sales

Springfield man Aaron Smith, 33, is headed to federal prison after being sentenced to 37 months for selling crack cocaine and marijuana to an undercover law enforcement officer in October 2013. The deal, part of a targeted investigation, sealed Smith’s fate in a courtroom yesterday in U.S. District Court in Springfield.

Sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark Mastroianni, Smith will serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. The judge ruled Smith qualified as a “career offender” under federal sentencing guidelines due to a string of prior criminal convictions, a designation that significantly increased his exposure to time behind bars.

In September 2015, Smith pleaded guilty to one count of distributing crack cocaine and two counts of distributing marijuana. The charges stem from multiple controlled buys during which Smith sold narcotics directly to an undercover agent, law enforcement sources confirmed.

Despite pleading guilty more than eight years ago, Smith remained free on bail until sentencing, a delay that raised eyebrows among federal prosecutors. Judge Mastroianni made no public comment on the delay but imposed the sentence without leniency, citing Smith’s criminal history and the seriousness of drug distribution in the community.

Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Division, announced the sentencing. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin O’Regan, Chief of Weinreb’s Springfield Office, who called the outcome a win for public safety.

The investigation highlights the federal government’s ongoing crackdown on mid-level drug dealers in Western Massachusetts, where opioid and cocaine use continue to strain public health and law enforcement resources. Smith is currently in federal custody and will be transferred to a Bureau of Prisons facility to begin his sentence.