Man gets 15 years without parole, banished from Houston County after meth conviction

Smith will also be banished from Houston County and all surrounding counties after his release.

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A South Carolina man will spend 15 years in prison without the possibility of parole after a Houston County jury convicted him of methamphetamine possession and possession of tools for the commission of a felony.

According to the Houston County District Attorney’s Office, 48-year-old Demond Oshai Smith of Summerville, South Carolina, was convicted July 23 following a three-day jury trial in Houston County Superior Court. Smith was sentenced on August 21 to 30 years, with the first 15 years to be served in prison without parole. Smith will also be banished from Houston County and all surrounding counties after his release.

The case stems from a December 30, 2025, traffic stop involving a Ford Maverick carrying four people.

The district attorney’s office says Houston County Sheriff’s Office deputies searched the vehicle and found multiple pipes used to ingest methamphetamine, digital scales covered in drug residue and a bag containing approximately 13.1 grams of a substance that later tested positive for methamphetamine at the GBI Crime Lab.

All four people in the vehicle were arrested. Prosecutors said Smith personally possessed items indicative of drug distribution and had five previous convictions for distributing cocaine and/or methamphetamine in South Carolina.

Senior Assistant District Attorney Lauren W. Fletcher released the following statement:

“Methamphetamine distribution is not a victimless crime. It destroys lives, devastates families, fuels addiction—often resulting in deadly overdoses—and endangers every corner of our county. Today’s sentence sends a clear message to drug dealers in the Houston Judicial Circuit: if you peddle this poison in our community, you will be held accountable. Our office wishes to thank Justin West, Martelle Davis, and Charles Wheeler, as well as the brave officers of the HCSO for their thorough work, which resulted in these drugs coming off the streets of our wonderful community.”

Houston County District Attorney Eric Edwards also released a statement following the sentencing.

“A jury of Houston County citizens heard the evidence in this case and held this defendant accountable for bringing methamphetamine and the tools of the drug trade into our community. This sentence demonstrates that those who choose to possess and traffic dangerous narcotics in Houston County—whether they live here or are simply passing through—should expect serious consequences. Drug enforcement requires determined officers, effective prosecutors, and citizens willing to serve on juries and carefully consider the evidence placed before them. Every part of that system worked as it should in this case, and Houston County is safer because of it. I am grateful for the diligent work of the Houston County Sheriff’s Office in investigating this case and getting these drugs off our streets. I am also extremely proud of Senior Assistant District Attorney Lauren Fletcher and third-year law student prosecutor Megan Taylor for their work in presenting this case to a jury and securing these convictions. Giving talented young future prosecutors meaningful courtroom experience alongside seasoned attorneys is important to the future of our profession, and Megan represented our office and the people of this State exceptionally well.”