Felon Shaka Smith Caught With Ghost Gun in Orlando

ORLANDO, FL – Shaka Smith, 27, of Orlando, is facing up to a decade behind bars after a federal jury found him guilty of possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. The verdict, announced by United States Attorney A. Lee Bentley, III, closes a case stemming from a brazen flight from law enforcement last June.

On June 28, 2016, Smith bolted from Orange County Sheriff’s Office deputies, leading them on a foot chase through a residential neighborhood. Deputies quickly discovered why: Smith was carrying a backpack stuffed with a .380 caliber semiautomatic firearm. The weapon, rendered untraceable with an obliterated serial number, was loaded with an extended 15-round magazine. A search of the backpack also yielded two small bags of drugs, adding another layer to Smith’s legal troubles.

The conviction hinges on Smith’s prior criminal history. Court records show he was previously convicted in 2010, in Orange County, Florida Circuit Court, for carrying a concealed firearm. Federal law clearly prohibits convicted felons from possessing firearms or ammunition, a restriction Smith flagrantly disregarded. He was indicted on September 28, 2016, and now faces the consequences.

The case was a collaborative effort between the Orange County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Investigators meticulously pieced together the evidence presented at trial, demonstrating Smith’s direct involvement in the illegal possession of the weapon. Assistant United States Attorneys Vincent S. Chiu and Sean P. Shecter are prosecuting the case, pushing for a maximum sentence.

This prosecution falls under the umbrella of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program, a national initiative aimed at reducing gun violence. Here in the Middle District of Florida, United States Attorney Bentley, III, is coordinating the effort alongside Daryl R. McCrary, Special Agent in Charge of the ATF, forging partnerships with federal, state, and local law enforcement.

Smith’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 24, 2017. If convicted, he could receive a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison. This case serves as a stark reminder that those with prior convictions who illegally possess firearms will be aggressively prosecuted to the full extent of the law, keeping dangerous weapons off the streets of Orlando and beyond.