Salisbury drug dealer sentenced to 25 years behind bars

A Wicomico County drug dealer has been sentenced to more than two decades behind bars.

On Monday, a Wicomico County Circuit Court judge sentenced 29-year-old Byron Smiley, of Salisbury, to 10 years active incarceration within the Maryland Division of Corrections which is a mandatory, non-parole eligible sentence for the charge of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Following that sentence, the same judge also imposed a consecutive 15 year prison sentence for a subsequent possession with intent to distribute cocaine offense.

The first sentence stem from a September 3, 2015 incident, when members of the Wicomico County Narcotics Task Force and the Maryland State Police Gang Enforcement Unit searched a home on North Zion Road in Salisbury, where they found Smiley alone, asleep in the front bedroom. During the search of the property, 139.9 grams of suspected cocaine, 3.8 grams of suspected marijuana, ammunition, and $1022 in cash were found.

Then, on January 11, Maryland State Police Gang Enforcement Unit stopped a vehicle on East Railroad Avenue, in Salisbury. Smiley, who was out on bond from the September case, was driving, and was arrested due to events that happened during the traffic stop. During his arrest, 3.37 grams of cocaine was apparently found in Smiley’s buttock.

Both of the sentences imposed on March 21 were ordered to run consecutive to any other sentences Smiley is obligated to serve. In all, Smiley was ordered to serve 25 years of active incarceration with the Maryland Division of Corrections, including the 10 year mandatory, non-parole eligible sentence that was based off Smiley’s status as a repeat offender and his previous convictions for cocaine distribution.