Grayson County man sentenced to life in federal prison for supplying fentanyl and then watching and recording the victim’s overdose death

SHERMAN, Texas - A Denison man who supplied fentanyl that resulted in an individual's death, has been sentenced to life in federal prison, announced Eastern District of Texas U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

Andrew Michael Smith, 36, was found guilty at trial of possession with intent to distribute and dispense fentanyl resulting in death and was sentenced to life in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Amos L. Mazzant on June 22, 2026.

According to information presented in court, on September 5, 2024, Smith provided a woman with fentanyl and methamphetamine. Smith watched and recorded the victim for several hours as she began to show severe signs of an overdose, including difficulty breathing, severe mental confusion, vomiting, and tremors. After the victim had taken her last breath, Smith finally, but untimely, called emergency responders. After law enforcement arrived, they began to perform lifesaving measures, but those efforts proved futile. The evidence during trial showed that Smith talked to numerous individuals over the course of hours while the victim was dying and even continued to arrange additional deals to acquire drugs.

"Smith targeted this victim because he knew her addiction made her vulnerable," said U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. "Smith deserves every day of this life sentence. Our office, and our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively seek justice for drug trafficking victims."

This case is part of Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations (TCOs), and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Operation Take Back America streamlines efforts and resources from the Department's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETFs) and Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN).

This case was investigated by the FBI and the Denison Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric Erlandson and Abe McGlothin, Jr.

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