New Rochelle Man Sentenced To More Than 19 Years In Prison For Assaulting An FBI Task Force Officer And Related Firearm Offenses

 

The Defendant, While Holding a Gun, Led Law Enforcement on a Brazen Chase Through Downtown Yonkers in Broad Daylight and Fired Five Rounds into a Crowded Downtown Area

Damian Williams, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that DARREN SMITH was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Philip M. Halpern to 230 months in prison for assaulting a Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”) Task Force Officer and related offenses.  SMITH was previously convicted after a jury trial on September 12, 2022, of assaulting a federal officer, discharging a firearm in relation to his assault of a federal officer, and unlawfully possessing a firearm. 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “This Office stands shoulder to shoulder with our partners in law enforcement when they come under attack.  We will stop at nothing to ensure that those who seek to harm them face justice.” 

According to the Indictment, public court filings, evidence presented at trial, and statements made in court:

On September 25, 2020, after officers of the Yonkers Police Department (“YPD”) initiated a lawful stop of the car SMITH was driving, SMITH sped away and led law enforcement officers on a car chase and then foot pursuit through the crowded streets of downtown Yonkers, holding a loaded handgun and refusing multiple law enforcement orders to stop and put down the gun.  An FBI Task Force Officer assigned to the FBI’s Westchester-based Safe Streets Task Force was among the law enforcement who responded and pursued SMITH.  Eventually, the Task Force Officer and members of the YPD brought SMITH to the ground.  While they attempted to restrain SMITH, who still refused to let go of the gun, SMITH fired five shots into the crowded Getty Square area of Yonkers in close proximity to members of law enforcement and bystanders, including a woman pushing a stroller with a baby.  While firing his gun, SMITH attempted to turn the gun back towards members of law enforcement, including the Task Force Officer, who were on top of him and trying to restrain him.  A photograph of SMITH on foot running with his gun is shown below:

In addition to the prison term, SMITH, 27, of New Rochelle, New York, was sentenced to five years of supervised release.

Mr. Williams praised the outstanding investigative work of the FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force and the Yonkers Police Department.  The FBI’s Westchester County Safe Streets Task Force is comprised of special agents and task force officers from the FBI; U.S. Probation; New York State Police; New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision; Westchester County District Attorney’s Office; Putnam County Sheriff’s Office; Rockland District Attorney’s Office; and the New York City, Westchester County, Yonkers, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, Greenburgh, White Plains, Peekskill, Ramapo, and Clarkstown Police Departments.