Ashley Nicole Smith pled guilty to one count of possession of Drug Paraphernalia on Wednesday, June 2 in the Cherokee Tribal Court. The Honorable Judge Kirk G. Saunooke sentenced Smith to an active jail sentence of one year. She was also fined $5,000 plus a $1,000 DARE fine and a $500 Heart to Heart fine.
“Our office, along with the Judge, followed the letter of the law in the prosecution of this case,” said Tribal Prosecutor Roy Wijewickrama. “Ms. Smith pled guilty to being in possession of a used syringe while in the presence of a minor child under the age of thirteen.”
Wijewickrama said the drug law passed in 2007 has a mandatory one-year sentence for any drug offense committed in the presence of a minor.
“I hope this sends a message that the Tribe takes drug cases very seriously, especially if these drug offenses are committed in the presence of minor children,” said Wijewickrama. “I also hope the one-year jail sentence, along with $6,500 in fines in this case, will act as a deterrent to further drug use by this particular defendant and her associates.”
Wijewickrama said this conviction would not have occurred but for the good police work by Officer Cherrie Dennis of the Cherokee Indian Police Department.
– Source: EBCI Office of the Tribal Prosecutor
