O'Shae SmithA 21-year-old gang member who pleaded guilty last week to his involvement in a 2015 shooting is almost eligible for parole. But since O'Shae Smith is part of the city's Violence Reduction Initiative, some authorities say they are working together to ensure that doesn't happen.
Smith was sentenced March 1 in Hamilton County Criminal Court to three years in the Tennessee Department of Corrections for aggravated assault, a class C Felony. Records show he has already completed a year in the Hamilton County Jail waiting for the case to settle. And since Smith is eligible for parole after serving 30 percent of his sentence, he could leave jail much sooner than three years.
Chattanooga police Chief Fred Fletcher said he was disappointed Smith was not convicted of attempted first-degree murder, one of his original charges. Still, "we believe a felony conviction and three years is a strength of our aggressive VRI partnership," he said.
Smith was one of the 263 people arrested as part of the VRI, the city's $1 million anti-gang partnership among local law enforcement, federal agents and district attorneys that launched in spring 2014. A recent Times Free Press investigation that tracked 229 of those cases through the courts system found the vast majority of targeted offenders have avoided long sentences and significant jail time.
As far as Smith already being on the cusp of parole, Fletcher said district attorney's office personnel have "indicated they will work with us to ensure that he not be considered for that 30 percent."
"We are going to work together to convey to those decision makers what a threat he is to our community," Fletcher said, adding that a felony conviction makes it easier for authorities to send Smith to federal court the next time he commits a crime.
Next week, District Attorney General Neal Pinkston will send a letter to the parole board asking that Smith serve his full sentence, spokeswoman Melydia Clewell wrote in an email.
"He intends to make the parole board aware that witness intimidation or apathy kept us from being able to convict Smith of a more serious charge that would've kept Smith off the streets for a longer period of time," Clewell said.
In Hamilton County Criminal Court, Smith was brought up on two different cases, which were dealt with simultaneously. His attorney, Mike Acuff, could not be reached for comment Monday.
Last week, prosecutors dismissed his charge of attempted first-degree murder for the 2015 College Hill Courts shooting. They also dropped Smith's charges of assault, possession of marijuana for resale, aggravated criminal trespass, evading arrest, resisting arrest and possession of a firearm during a dangerous offense - which he earned for a different incident in 2014.
On March 26, 2015, police were called to 2556 Sixth Ave. and came across 18-year-old Kendre Allen with a gunshot wound in the hip. Officers then flagged down a Pontiac Grand Prix racing away from the scene and found Smith with a half-emptied SG P-250. The pistol, capable of holding 13 rounds, only had five left when police found it, records show. Meanwhile, officers on scene recovered eight spent casings.
Police arrested Smith, a member of the Gangster Disciples, and charged him with attempted first-degree murder, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault. A grand jury indicted him in June 2015 and tacked on a charge of employing a firearm during a dangerous offense.
During a police interview, Smith said he knew Allen, a member of the Rollin 40s. He said he wouldn't hurt Allen. When police mentioned the Rollin 40s were encroaching on the College Hill Courts area though, Smith became incensed.
"-- them, this is my hood," he told police. Later, records show, Smith said he would "do what he had to do" if someone tried to hurt him.
Smith also encountered police on May 28, 2014.
Records show Smith bolted from an officer after getting out of a black car around 2558 Fourth Ave. During a foot chase through the College Hill Courts area, the officer drew his Taser when he noticed Smith digging into his waistline for what appeared to be a gun.
Eventually, he found Smith hiding inside a pickup truck and handcuffed him. On Smith's person the officer found four separate bags of marijuana and $252. He also located a stolen gun that police believe Smith pitched into the bushes during the foot chase.
Contact staff writer Zack Peterson at zpeterson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347 with story ideas or tips. Follow @zackpeterson918.