Man serving federal drug sentence given prison time for drunk driving – Butler Eagle

A Bruin man serving a three-year sentence in a federal drug case was sentenced Thursday in Common Pleas Court to 2 to 14 years in prison after pleading guilty to his fourth and fifth driving while intoxicated charges.

Gilbert E. Smith, 45, was sentenced in September to 3 years in federal prison followed by 4 years probation after pleading guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to possess fentanyl, which was charged against him in August 2023 year after a four-month wiretapping investigation into drug trafficking, illegal firearms possession and gang activity in Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhoods. As a result of the investigation, federal authorities have charged 16 more people.

On Thursday, Smith pleaded guilty remotely from county jail to the fourth and fifth charges of driving under the influence.

Judge Timothy McCune sentenced Smith to 12 to 48 months in prison for the fourth DUI, serve an additional 12 to 48 months in prison consecutively for the fifth DUI, pay a $5,000 fine, and perform 80 hours of community service. works and waste removal. Both charges are felonies. Smith received credit for having already served 537 days in prison.

State police have charged him with driving while intoxicated. A fourth DUI charge was filed for driving under the influence of a controlled substance following an incident in Bruin on January 24, 2022. The fifth DUI charge was filed following an incident in Fairview on May 14, 2023.

The District Attorney’s Office has agreed not to prosecute Smith on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia filed by Butler County police in March 2023, as well as eight drug charges, including two felonies of possession with intent to deliver, filed by state police in March 2023.