Show-Me State Times

A St. Louis County man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after admitting to selling fentanyl that resulted in the death of a local woman. U.S. District Judge Sarah E. Pitlyk handed down the sentence on Thursday.

Forrest L. Smith, 37, pleaded guilty in May to one count of distribution of a controlled substance and two counts of distribution of fentanyl.

The case began when the victim was found dead in her bedroom on October 5, 2021. Investigators discovered four capsules containing fentanyl at the scene and found messages on her phone indicating she had purchased drugs from Smith through an intermediary the previous day, according to Smith’s plea agreement.

In November 2021, law enforcement conducted an undercover operation in which an officer communicated with Smith by text message. The officer purchased fentanyl from Smith on November 8 and again eight days later.

According to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), more than 55.5 million fentanyl pills and 7,800 pounds of fentanyl were seized last year. The DEA reports that half of the pills tested contained potentially lethal doses, and there were over 258,000 opiate overdose deaths between 2013 and 2021, primarily due to illicitly manufactured fentanyl (https://www.dea.gov/onepill).

The investigation was conducted by the FBI and the Town and Country Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin Granger prosecuted the case.