CLEVELAND, OH - A 29-year-old Bloomfield Township man is being charged in the death of an Ashtabula County woman.
According to Acting U.S. Attorney David A. Sierleja, Shawn Ray Smith was named in a seven-count indictment including charges of distribution of fentanyl, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine that resulted in the death of Jennifer Knight on Feb. 5, 2016.
Knight’s mother told investigators that she was awakened by her grandchildren crying, saying, “Mommy won’t get up.”
Federal authorities say Smith possessed three firearms, as well as ammunition, despite prior felony convictions that prohibited him from having them.
“This is another heartbreaking example of the devastating impact drugs are having on our community,” Sierleja said. “We will continue to seek long prison sentences for those who profit from other people’s misery.”
The charge related to the death of Knight carries a potential sentencing enhancement that would result in a mandatory sentence of at least 20 years in prison if convicted.
(Photo by Getty Images)
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