Kalamazoo man Keith Smith, 46, was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In 2022, authorities found over four pounds of meth, fentanyl, cocaine, a stolen gun, and the body of a woman who died from a drug overdose at his home, as reported by ClickOnDetroit. Smith, who has 10 prior felony convictions, continued selling drugs while out on bond and was caught in January 2025 with more than 13 pounds of methamphetamine.
Keith Smith, described as a "career offender" by U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his involvement in the drug trade. VerHey said, "A thirty-year sentence is a long time, but Keith Smith worked hard to earn it." KVET Captain Michael Ferguson said the sentence sends a message to those involved in criminal activities in Kalamazoo, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Smith was sentenced following a joint investigation by Kalamazoo Valley Enforcement Team, Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Drug Enforcement Administration, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. DEA Special Agent in Charge Andrew Lawton said, "This was an individual who showed no remorse in his criminal actions by continuing to bring lethal amounts of narcotics into the communities while awaiting adjudication for other extremely serious and harmful crimes." The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Austin Hakes, Dan McGraw, Jonathan Roth, Olivia Ghiselli, and Alex Jansen. The sentencing aims to stop further distribution of narcotics in Kalamazoo, as stated by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
