Smith Gets 15 Years for Attempted Hit on U.S. Marshal

TACOMA, WA – A career criminal with a lengthy rap sheet tried to turn an arrest into a murder attempt, and now JOSEPH ROBERT SMITH, 41, will spend the next 15 years in a federal penitentiary. Smith was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma after attempting to shoot a U.S. Marshal while already in handcuffs.

The incident unfolded on October 23, 2012, when the U.S. Marshal Service Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force moved to arrest Smith on a Department of Corrections escape warrant. After a brief foot chase, officers apprehended Smith and conducted a cursory search, handcuffing him with plans for a more thorough search at a secure location. That’s when Smith made his move.

According to court documents, as officers were escorting Smith, he brought his hands around from behind his back, attempting to access a handgun concealed in his waistband. Smith managed to grip the weapon, pointing it at the leg of the Deputy Marshal escorting him and attempting to chamber a round before the officer forcefully knocked the gun to the ground, averting a potential tragedy.

U.S. District Judge Robert J. Bryan handed down the 15-year sentence, which will run concurrently with a hefty 249-month sentence Smith is already serving in state court for four separate armed robbery convictions. This isn’t Smith’s first rodeo; records show a decades-long history of criminal behavior dating back to 1989.

The feds have compiled a damning record of Smith’s offenses, including convictions for burglary, robbery, escape, multiple assaults, eluding law enforcement, and even domestic violence. He’s a walking indictment of the revolving door justice system, repeatedly released to prey on the public. This sentencing, while welcome, barely scratches the surface of the damage he’s caused.

The investigation was a joint effort between the U.S. Marshal Service and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg prosecuted the case, ensuring Smith faced federal charges for his brazen attempt to harm a law enforcement officer. Grimy Times will continue to track Smith’s incarceration and any further legal developments.

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