Multiple Drug Traffickers Receive Long Prison Sentences Across U.S.

Scott Eugene Smith, 43, has been sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for shooting at a Polk County Sheriff's deputy during a 2023 car chase while under the influence of drugs. Smith had previously pleaded guilty to state charges and received a lesser sentence but faced federal charges that led to a much longer sentence. Meanwhile, Samuel McCoy Oakley Jr., 47, was sentenced to 19 years for trafficking cocaine, fentanyl, and marijuana while armed, with evidence of significant drug distribution uncovered during a DEA investigation. In a related case, Tyrone Eugene Sitton was sentenced to 151 months for trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing firearms, having sold drugs to an informant in a controlled operation. Additionally, Cedric Sanders received over seven years in federal prison for possessing fentanyl and firearms as a felon, following multiple sales to undercover officers. These cases highlight the ongoing issues surrounding drug trafficking and gun violence in the United States.