Two men sentenced to federal prison over gun charges

LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) — Two men from Lansing have been sentenced to federal prison time stemming from a March 2023 incident in Lansing involving guns.

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Mark Totten announced the sentences in a news release on Thursday.

Quentin Earl Booth, 39, was sentenced to serve 71 months in prison — that’s over 5 years. Once released, he’ll serve another three years on supervised release.

Derrick Smith Jr., 30, entered a guilty plea in March. On July 2, he was sentenced 57 months in prison.

Both men had previous felony convictions. As convicted felons they are not legally able to possess a firearm.

The U.S. Attorney alleges the duo showed up a Lansing convenience store in March of 2023.

Here’s how the news release explains Smith and Booth’s actions:

Booth and Smith were arrested in September 2023 when law enforcement responded to a 911 call that Smith walked into a Lansing convenience store carrying an assault rifle. He made threats before entering the store. A witness reported hearing one of the defendants say, “Everybody is going to die.”

Upon arrival, officers saw Booth place the rifle in a nearby SUV. Booth also had a pistol holstered in his pocket.

Law enforcement later obtained surveillance footage that showed Smith walk into the store with the loaded rifle. The video showed Smith pointing and aiming the rifle several times, including pointing the rifle at the store clerk while inside of the store and aiming at a passing vehicle in a residential neighborhood once outside of the store.

U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan, News Release, July 18, 2024

Totten and a representative of the ATF had a message for the communities covered by the Western District.

“Quentin Booth and Derrick Smith Jr. are career offenders with repeat felony convictions prohibiting them from possessing a firearm,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge James Deir, in a news release. “During this incident, both men exercised extremely poor judgment, especially Smith aiming and pointing an assault rifle inside and outside of a convenience store in Lansing. In the end, poor choices have consequences.  If you use an illegal firearm to threaten and intimidate people in our community – pack a bag. You’re going to go to prison. Our community deserves better from its members, and it will be safer with both men off the streets.”

“Booth and Smith inflicted sheer terror on people just carrying out their daily lives,” said Totten, in a news release. “There is no acceptable level of violence. Those driving violence will face swift justice. My team and I will not rest until every person, in every neighborhood, in every community enjoys the safety they deserve.”

These cases were investigated by the Michigan State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jacob S. Metoxen, Austin J. Hakes, and Constance R. Turnbull handled the prosecutions.

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