Bloomfield man indicted for selling drugs that led to woman’s death

Staff report

WARREN

Shawn R. Smith, 29, of Bloomfield Township, has been indicted in federal court in Cleveland on seven charges, including one accusing him of providing the drugs that killed Jennifer Knight of Ashtabula County on Feb. 5, 2016.

Smith, indicted Thursday, faces charges of distribution of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine that resulted in Knight’s death, and additional charges of distribution of heroin, fentanyl, cocaine and methamphetamine. He also is charged with being a felon in illegal possession of firearms.

Knight’s mother told investigators she was awakened by her grandchildren saying, “Mommy won’t get up,” causing the woman to check on her daughter and find her unresponsive, according to a federal affidavit.

Smith possessed three firearms and ammunition, despite prior felony convictions that prohibited him from having firearms, including convictions for burglary in Ashtabula County and aggravated drug trafficking in Geauga County.

If convicted of the charge related to Knight’s death, Smith could get a mandatory 20-year prison sentence.

The federal Drug Enforcement Administration, the Ashtabula County Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case.