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Home > Blogs > Greene County News > Archives > 2009 > October > 30 > Entry
Local distributor for Mexican cocaine gets 20 years
XENIA — The bar owner who authorities said was the local cocaine distributor for a Mexican drug cartel will spend 20 years in prison after a judge found he didn’t fully cooperate with police.
Sheldon Smith, 32, pleaded no contest and was found guilty in June of 13 felony charges that involved the seizure of 121 pounds of cocaine from an East Main Street home by police in 2008. Police said it was the largest amount of drugs seized in county history.
Smith hired drug cartel members Ismael Gonzalez, of California, and Carlos A. Tartida-Villalba, of Mexico, to guard his drugs that were stored at 1594 E. Main St. Both men have pleaded guilty to charges and received eight years prison terms.
Police raided the home in May of 2008, but Smith and his girlfriend Kelly Brown, 28, were not arrested until Christmas Eve. The two were arrested outside LA’s Sports Bar and Grille in Xenia, a business they ran. Brown pleaded guilty to money laundering and received five years probation earlier this year.
Jeffrey Hunter, Greene County prosecutor chief trial counsel, wouldn’t say exactly why it took so long for Smith and Brown to be arrested. “Generally, suspects are given time to cooperate with law enforcement,” he said.
After several days of testimony throughout the last two months Judge Stephen A. Wolaver ruled Friday, Oct. 30, Smith did not fully cooperate with police and had not secured the promise of a reduced sentence in exchange for his help, according to Hunter and court records.
Jeffrey Hunter, Greene County prosecutor chief trial counsel, wouldn’t say exactly why it took so long for Smith and Brown to be arrested. “Generally, suspects are given time to cooperate with law enforcement,” he said.
Smith forfeited $600,000 in cash and more than 40 other items including cars, jewelry, weapons and framed photographs of sports legends like Jim Brown, Dick Butkus and Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
