DSM man receives 30-year prison sentence for shooting at deputies
DES MOINES, Iowa — A Des Moines man was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison on Monday for shooting at Polk County deputies in 2023.
On the morning of September 30 2023, Scott Eugene Smith led law enforcement on a car chase across the northeast side of Des Moines, the Department of Justice said. The car chase ended when Smith jumped out of his vehicle, a Honda Civic, in the 5200 block of NE 14th Street and fired a handgun at a deputy with the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Smith fled from the scene and barricaded himself in a room at the Budget Inn, causing an hours-long standoff with law enforcement before being taken into custody. No injuries occurred during the incident.
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At the time, Smith was wanted on an arrest warrant and faced charges of attempted murder, felon in possession of a firearm, drug charges, and more. On Monday, Smith was sentenced to 30 years in federal prison for the charges of possessing firearms as a felon, possessing a distribution quantity of methamphetamine, and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
After Smith finishes his prison sentence he will be required to serve five years of supervised release.
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Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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