Tampa, Florida – In a shocking turn of events, a Sarasota man has been sentenced to nine years and one month in federal prison for his involvement in a drug trafficking crime.
Steven M. Pace, 25, pleaded guilty on January 23, 2017, to possessing four destructive devices and knowingly possessing firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The court also ordered him to forfeit the firearms and ammunition seized as part of this case.
Pace’s crimes date back to February 2016, when he and Katie Smith possessed two improvised pipe bombs and two improvised grenades. They also had a number of firearms in their home, one of which was stolen. Pace admitted to carrying at least one of those firearms during his drug transactions.
According to court documents, Pace and Smith had approximately 280 grams of AB-fubinaca, a synthetic form of marijuana, with the intent to distribute it. Smith previously pleaded guilty to possessing destructive devices and was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment.
The case was jointly investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kaitlin R. O’Donnell.
This case is part of the ‘Project Safe Neighborhoods’ Program, a nationwide gun-violence reduction strategy. Acting United States Attorney W. Stephen Muldrow, along with Daryl R. McCrary, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.
The exact date of the crime was February 2016, and Pace was sentenced on an unknown date. The court ordered him to forfeit the firearms and ammunition seized as part of this case.
Pace’s sentence is the latest development in the ongoing effort to combat drug trafficking and gun violence in the Middle District of Florida.
Key Facts
- State: Florida
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Violent Crime|Weapons
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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