BALLSTON SPA — A Saratoga Springs man was sentenced to an aggregate of 31.5 years in state prison Monday following a weekslong trial in February that found him guilty of trying to sell drugs in Saratoga County, according to a Saratoga County District Attorney’s office press release.
Shahid Smith, 43, was convicted of four counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance, one count of fifth-degree criminal sale of controlled substance, four counts of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, all felonies, and one count of fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a violation.
He was sentenced on Monday by Saratoga County Court Judge James A. Murphy III.
Smith had a lengthy criminal record, including other drug related convictions, according to the release.
Smith was one of four people arrested Dec. 29, 2022 and accused of selling drugs in the county. The trial found that Smith sold fentanyl, cocaine and crystal methamphetamine four different times in the county.
In December 2023, the Saratoga County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Operations Team executed a search warrant at 260 Maple Ave., Saratoga Springs, and 104 Holly Lane, Wilton, where they seized quantities of the drugs.
Saratoga County District Attorney Karen Heggen said in the release that the county is continuing to try and combat the sale and use of illegal drugs.
As of Monday, there were 277 overdoses in the county — of which 17 were fatal, according to the release. In 2023, there were 727 overdoses — of which 39 were fatal.
“We work collaboratively each day with law enforcement to combat this terrible epidemic,” Heggen said in the release. “And then we have the defendant, selling fentanyl, one of the very drugs responsible for the hundred of overdoses within our county each year. This significant sentence serves as just punishment for Defendant Smith’s crimes but also sends a clear message that we do not tolerate illegal drug sales here in Saratoga County.”