A Grants Pass man is facing federal charges for trafficking fentanyl and illegally possessing numerous firearms.
According to the US Attorney's Office for the District of Oregon, 38-year-old Christopher Smith has been charged by criminal complaint with Possessing with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Possessing a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime.
Approximately one year ago, investigators with the Rogue Area Drug Enforcement (RADE) task force and US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) obtained information that Smith was actively distributing fentanyl throughout Josephine County from his Lower River Road residence in Grants Pass.
On May 9th, investigators executed a state search warrant on Smith's residence where they located and seized approximately 400 grams of fentanyl, two digital scales with fentanyl residue, two 3D printers, two ghost guns, 74 additional firearms and an unmarked firearm suppressor.
Smith was present during the search and placed under arrest. He made his first court appearance yesterday before a US Magistrate Judge in Medford.
The case was investigated by RADE and DEA. RADE is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program. It includes members from the Grants Pass Police Department, Josephine County Community Corrections, Oregon State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
