Cedar Rapids man sentenced to 35 years for trafficking drugs near school

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man, previously convicted in state court for shooting a man, was sentenced Tuesday to 35 years in federal prison for trafficking drugs near a school.

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Cordarryl Cortez Smith, 38, pleaded guilty in March to one count of distribution of a controlled substance near a protected location.

According to court documents, law enforcement purchased methamphetamine twice from Smith in March 2023. One of the purchases was made within 1,000 feet of Johnson STEAM Academy Magnet School, 355 18th St. SE, in Cedar Rapids.

On March 22, 2023, officers stopped Smith’s car as it was returning to Cedar Rapids. At the time, Smith’s car was being driven by his brother and another individual was the passenger, while Smith was in a separate car also on the way back to Cedar Rapids.

Officers found about an ounce of cocaine and about 9 pounds of meth in the trunk of Smith’s car. The next month, officers conducted another controlled buy and purchased cocaine from Smith multiple times.

In the shooting incident, which resulted in Smith’s previous conviction, Smith got into an argument in 2015 with Mack Jackson, 38, of Cedar Rapids. Jackson said Smith pointed a handgun at him and fired in his direction but didn't hit him. Jackson said he couldn't determine if Smith intended to hit him.

The two then started fighting and during the struggle Smith discharged the gun, shooting Jackson in the neck and twice in one knee. The shot to the neck didn't hit an artery and wasn't considered a serious injury, but the knee wounds were serious and resulted in a long term injury for Jackson.

During his sentencing Tuesday, U.S. District Chief Judge C.J. Williams also ordered Smith to serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison term.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Vander Stoep and was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration Task Force consisting of the DEA; Linn County Sheriff's Office; Cedar Rapids and Marion police departments; and Iowa Division of Narcotics Enforcement.

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