Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives

RICHMOND, Va. – A Richmond man was sentenced today to 19 years in prison for possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony and possessing cocaine with the intent to distribute.

According to court documents, James R. Smith, Jr., 39, sold fentanyl to a controlled source on four occasions from two separate residences in Richmond. When law enforcement executed search warrants at Smith’s two residences, they recovered two semi-automatic handguns, nearly $150,000 in U.S. currency, and over 70 grams of narcotics comprised of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts.  PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.

G. Zachary Terwilliger, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and Ashan M. Benedict, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ (ATF) Washington Field Division, made the announcement after sentencing by Senior U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth Simon prosecuted the case.

A copy of this press release is located on the website of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. Related court documents and information are located on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or on PACER by searching for Case No. 3:19-cr-44.

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