PCP Dealer Sentenced to 22 Years in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug Offenses

Fired a Gun After a Drug Deal Went Bad, Breaking Glass at a Nearby Apartment Building Entrance 

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced George Jack Smith, age 29, of Burtonsville, Maryland, today to 22 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute phencyclidine (PCP), illegal possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon; and using, carrying and discharging a weapon in connection with drug trafficking.  A federal jury convicted Smith of those charges on December 7, 2015.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Daniel L. Board Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Hank Stawinski of the Prince George’s County Police Department.

According to evidence presented at the five day trial, on December 1, 2013, Smith got into a vehicle outside an apartment complex in the 9300 block of Cherry Hill Road in College Park, Maryland, in order to sell PCP to the vehicle’s occupants.  One of the vehicle’s occupants pulled out a knife.  Smith got out of the car and fired a gun in the direction of the vehicle as it drove away.  One of the bullets broke a pane of glass at the entrance to the apartment building.

Witnesses testified that a short time later, Smith got into a taxi, which was stopped by law enforcement at the apartment complex.  Smith was ordered out of the cab and taken into custody.  Law enforcement recovered the following items from the pockets of Smith’s jacket: a vial containing ¾ ounce of PCP; a loaded .380 caliber pistol, which had been reported stolen; and a .38 caliber revolver with five spent rounds.

A search warrant was executed at Smith’s residence on December 2, 2013, and law enforcement recovered a third gun (a.22 caliber revolver).

Smith had at least two previous felony drug convictions and a conviction for robbery conspiracy, all in Montgomery County Circuit Court, and was therefore prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the ATF and Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation.  Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Nicolas A. Mitchell and Kristi N. O’Malley, who prosecuted the case.