Jordan Daniel Smith Sentenced for Illegal Firearm Possession

Jefferson City, Mo. — A high-speed flight from police ended in a federal prison sentence for Jordan Daniel Smith, 23, of Columbia, Mo., who was sentenced today to four years and nine months without parole for illegally possessing a firearm. U.S. District Judge Brian C. Wimes handed down the sentence after Smith pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm on July 5, 2016.

The incident unfolded on October 6, 2015, when Columbia police attempted to stop Smith, who was driving a 2000 Lincoln LS, for a routine traffic violation. When a detective ordered him to shut off the vehicle, Smith refused, slammed the car into gear, and fled. He sped between 70 and 80 mph through city streets, blew through a stop sign, and passed another vehicle in a reckless pursuit that terrorized local traffic.

During the chase, a loaded Sig Sauer 9mm pistol was tossed from Smith’s vehicle and later recovered by a private citizen on the roadside. Ballistic tagging and field testing confirmed it was operational and loaded at the time of disposal. Smith eventually lost momentum, stopped a second time, and was apprehended without further incident.

Inside the car, investigators found more than just guilt. A digital scale coated in cocaine residue sat in the center console. Officers also recovered visible marijuana and crumbs of suspected cocaine scattered throughout the vehicle—evidence that sealed the argument this was not just a gun crime, but part of a broader criminal pattern.

The court determined Smith possessed the firearm in connection with another felony—drug distribution. With prior convictions for assault and armed criminal action, Smith was legally barred from possessing any firearm or ammunition. His criminal history triggered enhanced penalties under federal law, turning a routine traffic stop into a federal prosecution.

Smith previously pleaded guilty in state court to resisting arrest by fleeing—creating a substantial risk of serious injury—and was sentenced to four years on August 22, 2016. The federal case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lawrence E. Miller and investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Columbia Police Department.