A Memphis man is set to serve a decade behind bars following a plea of guilty on two counts of distributing controlled substances. Marcus Smith, age 41, found himself sentenced after selling significant quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl to undercover agents back in October 2022.
Further details revealed that on October 4, 2022, agents from the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation managed to covertly purchase around 28 grams of meth and about two grams of a substance containing fentanyl. Smith's prior convictions, which include aggravated assault and drug offenses, classified him as a career criminal. According to a statement obtained by the U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Tennessee, Senior United States District Judge John T. Fowlkes delivered the 120-month prison term last thursday, with three additional years of supervised release to follow. Notably, the federal system does not allow parole.
The tactful investigation that led to Smith's arrest and subsequent conviction was the fruit of concerted efforts by various agencies. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation spearheaded the case with support from the Homeland Securities Investigations Laboratories in Savannah, Georgia and the Bartlett Police Department. Acting United States Attorney Reagan Fondren, in a public statement, expressed gratitude towards Assistant United States Attorney Bryce H. Phillips for his role in the prosecution and acknowledged the law enforcement partners for their collective work.
