Forrest L. Smith, Fentanyl Distribution, Missouri 2022
A 15-year prison sentence has been handed down to Forrest L. Smith, a St. Louis County man who admitted to selling fentanyl that killed a woman in her home in 2021.
The victim was found dead in her bedroom on October 5, 2021. Investigators discovered four capsules containing fentanyl and messages on her phone showing that she had bought drugs from Smith the day before via an intermediary. According to Smith's plea agreement, he had sold drugs to the victim through an intermediary.
Smith, 37, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in St. Louis in May to one count of distribution of a controlled substance and two counts of distribution of fentanyl. The case was investigated by the FBI and the Town and Country Police Department.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Granger prosecuted the case. In November 2021, an undercover officer began texting Smith, and on November 8, 2021, purchased fentanyl from Smith. The officer bought more fentanyl eight days later.
The Drug Enforcement Administration seized over 55.5 million fentanyl pills and 7,800 pounds of fentanyl last year. Half of the pills tested by DEA contained a potentially lethal dose of fentanyl.
According to the DEA, there were more than 258,000 opiate overdose deaths between 2013 and 2021, primarily due to illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Smith's sentence is a result of his admission to selling the fentanyl that killed the woman in 2021.
Defendant: Forrest L. Smith
Criminal charges: Distribution of a controlled substance (1 count), Distribution of fentanyl (2 counts)
City and state: St. Louis, Missouri
Exact date: May 2022 (plea), October 5, 2021 (crime date)
Sentence or outcome: 15 years in prison
Defendant's full name: Forrest L. Smith
Key Facts
- State: Missouri
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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