FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ENRD

APRIL 14, 2008 (202) 514-2007

WWW.USDOJ.GOV TDD (202) 514-1888

OAKLAND - United States Attorney Joseph P. Russoniello announced that North Richmond drug dealer Warren Steven Smith, also known as "Night Train," was sentenced on Friday by the Honorable D. Lowell Jensen, United States District Judge, to twelve years in prison for selling crack cocaine. The conviction and sentence was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, and the Richmond Police Department.

According to his plea agreement, on August 8, 2006, Smith distributed 6.8 grams of crack cocaine to another person in exchange for cash in violation of Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B)(iii). Mr. Smith qualified as a "career offender" for purposes of federal sentencing as a result of his prior narcotics trafficking convictions. In addition to three prior convictions for possessing cocaine base for sale, Smith had also been convicted of battery on a peace officer with injury, attempting to remove a firearm from a peace officer, battery on a former spouse, willful cruelty to a child, resisting an executive officer, driving under the influence, and possession of a controlled substance.

The defendant, who has been in custody since his arrest in October 2006, will begin serving his twelve-year sentence immediately. Smith was also sentenced to a five-year term of supervised release and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.

Garth Hire is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Legal Technician Cynthia Daniel. The prosecution is the result of a two-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office, and the Richmond Police Department.

Further Information:
Case #: CR 06-00697 DLJ
A copy of this press release may be found on the U.S. Attorney's Office's website at www.usdoj.gov/usao/can.
Electronic court filings and further procedural and docket information are available at https://ecf.cand.uscourts.gov/cgi-bin/login.pl.
Judges' calendars with schedules for upcoming court hearings can be viewed on the court's website at www.cand.uscourts.gov.
All press inquiries to the U.S. Attorney's Office should be directed to Joshua Eaton at (415) 436-6958 or by email at Josh.Eaton@usdoj.gov.

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