A former Dearborn Heights attorney who showed up outside a Royal Oak lawyer’s home with a backpack full of weapons and restraints is headed to prison. Levi Smith, 36, was sentenced today to three to five years for attempted first-degree home invasion, plus an additional two-year term for felony firearm, to be served consecutively. Smith was arrested last year after Royal Oak officers found him near the house with a backpack that investigators say held weapons and items intended to restrain a target.
According to The Detroit News, Oakland County Circuit Judge Jacob Cunningham went above the recommended sentencing guidelines, pointing to the disturbing nature of the plan and the impact on the homeowner, whom he said was “extremely traumatized.” The outlet reports that defense attorney John Freeman had urged the court in a pre-sentencing memo to opt for monitored, structured mental-health treatment instead of a lengthy prison term. Court filings cited by the paper also reference a list of six women found among Smith’s possessions, which prosecutors used to bolster their case.
Backpack Full Of Restraints, Tools At Scene
Per the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office, officers arrested Smith on June 1, 2024, after homeowners’ security footage captured him outside a Royal Oak residence. When officers moved in, they found a loaded handgun, handcuffs, three different kinds of rope, duct tape, a mouth gag, masks, and tools, including a crowbar and a shovel, inside his backpack. Not exactly the kind of gear most lawyers are known to carry to work.
Local coverage from WXYZ adds that Smith was wearing latex gloves when officers confronted him. Investigators later searched his home and found additional firearms and ammunition, according to the station.
Judge Says Probation Would Not Cut It
Judge Cunningham told the courtroom the incident had been “extremely traumatizing” for the victim and that probation would not address the seriousness of what happened, The Detroit News reports. He cited prosecutors’ evidence, including the list of women’s names, in explaining why he went above the sentencing guidelines. The judge also ordered that the mandatory two-year felony-firearm sentence run consecutively to the home-invasion term, ensuring additional prison time.
Charges And Legal Context
The prosecutor’s office charged Smith with attempted first-degree home invasion. This felony can carry up to five years behind bars, along with a felony-firearm count that adds mandatory consecutive time, according to the Oakland County release. Prosecutors told the court their case rested on doorbell-camera footage, officer interviews and the weapons, restraints and other items seized both at the scene and later at Smith’s residence.
Oakland County officials publicly thanked the victim and Royal Oak officers, saying the rapid 911 call and quick police response likely prevented something worse. Smith’s sentence closes a case that began with his arrest in June 2024, and court records indicate he will begin serving his state prison term after the processing ordered in Oakland County. The outcome underscores prosecutors’ ongoing message about fast reporting and the growing role of home security video in helping investigators reconstruct events.
