Qulin man gets 10 years for drug, weapon crimes

CAPE GIRARDEAU — A Butler County man was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison earlier this week on drug- and weapons-related crimes.

Jestin L. Smith, 38, was sentenced Tuesday to 120 months on the felonies of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of 50 grams of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Sorrell.

U.S. District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh Jr. sentenced Smith to the mandatory minimum of five years on both the methamphetamine and weapons offenses, Sorrell said.

The five years on the weapons offense, Sorrell said, has to be served consecutively to Smith’s other sentences.

Upon Smith’s release from prison, Sorrell said, he will be placed on a four-year period of supervised release.

With Smith’s July plea, he admitted on Aug. 20, 2019, law enforcement officers obtained a state search warrant for his home in the 4800 block of Highway N at Qulin. The officers reportedly were searching for illegal drugs.

According to the plea agreement signed by Smith, the officers found an H&R 12-gauge shotgun, a Palmetto State Armory .223-caliber pistol, 146 grams of marijuana, 145 grams of methamphetamine and two sets of digital scales during their search.

Smith, who was at his residence during the search, reportedly admitted the items were his.

“The Palmetto State Armory pistol had been stolen from Rhino Gunworx in Poplar Bluff,” the plea agreement further says. “A store employee stole the firearm and sold it to Smith.”

Smith also “admits that he intended to distribute the marijuana and methamphetamine to other persons and that he knew the substances were marijuana and methamphetamine,” the plea agreement says.

Smith further admitted to possessing the firearms “in furtherance of the sales of the marijuana and methamphetamine, in that the firearms would protect (him) during the sales or during his possession of the controlled substances or the money obtained from the sales of those substances.”

At sentencing, the government dismissed three additional felonies of felon in possession of a firearm, making a false statement in an attempted acquisition of a firearm and making a false statement to a gun dealer.