A Jamaican citizen has been sentenced to more than eight years in prison after pleading guilty to drug conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and illegal reentry into the United States. O’Shane Christopher Smith, 35, received a 100-month sentence from U.S. District Judge John R. Adams in Cleveland. Following his release, Smith is required to surrender to immigration authorities for deportation.
Court records state that on January 20, 2023, federal investigators intercepted a suspicious package sent from a UPS store in Inglewood, California. After securing a search warrant, agents discovered about 11 pounds of methamphetamine inside the parcel. Investigators then conducted a controlled delivery of the package to an address in Cleveland.
Smith arrived at the address, retrieved the parcel, and left in a Jeep vehicle. Ohio State Highway Patrol officers attempted a traffic stop soon after; Smith tried to flee but crashed into a tree and fled on foot through neighborhood yards before being apprehended following a short chase.
Smith admitted he was paid $1,000—half up front—to retrieve and deliver the drugs. He also acknowledged entering the United States illegally from Mexico near San Diego the previous year without permission from federal authorities. Records show he had previously been removed from the country for illegal reentry in March 2021.
The investigation involved several agencies including the DEA Detroit Division’s Cleveland Field Office, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Border Patrol-Sandusky Bay Station, and Ohio State Highway Patrol.
Assistant United States Attorneys James P. Lewis and Elizabeth Crook prosecuted the case for the Northern District of Ohio.
“This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime.”
