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Firearms connected to defendant and accomplice linked to 17 Portland-area shootings
PORTLAND, Ore.—Aumontae Wayne Smith, 27, a known Hoover Criminal Gang member and resident of Portland, is facing federal drug and gun charges for his role in a fentanyl trafficking conspiracy, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Scott Erik Asphaug.
On April 6, 2021, a federal grand jury in Portland returned an indictment charging Smith with conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
According to court documents and testimony, Smith and an unnamed accomplice conspired with one another to distribute fentanyl disguised as oxycodone pills in and around Portland. Smith advertised selling the fake oxycodone pills and guns via Snapchat posts that were observed by law enforcement. Investigators seized six firearms from Smith and his accomplice and, with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). Further investigation revealed Smith purchased 16 firearms since 2019 that linked to 17 different shootings in the Portland area between April and December 2020.
Smith voluntarily surrendered to law enforcement today and made his initial appearance in federal court before a U.S. Magistrate Judge. He was arraigned and pleaded not guilty. A three-day jury trial is scheduled to begin on June 15, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Portland Police Bureau, FBI, and ATF. It is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
An indictment is only an accusation of a crime, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
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