A 41-year-old Highland Village man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking crimes, U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Cox announced Wednesday.
Bryan Thomas Smith pleaded guilty this year to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and on Wednesday was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Sean D. Jordan, according to a news release from the Eastern District of Texas.
According to information presented in court, on Feb. 14, officers in Highland Village surveilled Smith’s residence in reference to previously-issued felony warrants for evading arrest in a vehicle. They stopped a vehicle leaving the house for a traffic violation Smith falsely identified himself as Fletcher Smith, even as officers found his driver’s license that said Bryan Thomas Smith. Police also uncovered counterfeit U.S. currency, a glass smoking pipe, methamphetamine, MDMA tablets and amphetamine, dextroamphetamine and alprazolam pills in his possession.
Days later, officers executed a search warrant at Smith’s residence, locating and seizing additional amounts of methamphetamine and counterfeit U.S. currency, as well as items related to the production of counterfeit U.S. currency, including computers and printers.
Smith was indicted on March 12. On April 7, police went to Smith’s residence to execute the arrest warrant for Smith. Smith, who was standing outside near the home, once again falsely identified himself as Fletcher Smith and his mother also claimed that the defendant’s identity was Fletcher Smith, according to the news release. Officers went into the residence to search for Smith before realizing Smith had provided a false name.
Smith, meanwhile, fled from police on foot into a wooded area toward Lake Lewisville. Police pursued him, and he jumped into the lake and tried to swim across. After nearly drowning, Smith got to land and attempted to hide in the woods before being taken into custody.
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