Cordele man convicted, sentenced to 120 years in prison after firing shots at law enforcement

A Cordele man was sentenced Thursday to 120 years in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted on multiple felony charges.

PERRY, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – A Cordele man was sentenced Thursday to 120 years in prison without the possibility of parole after being convicted on multiple felony charges.

A Houston County District Attorney’s Office news release says 44-year-old James Lonnie Smith was convicted on criminal attempt to commit malice murder, eight counts of aggravated assault on a public safety officer and two counts of possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony.

His jury trial lasted four days, and jurors came back with their verdict in less than two hours.

Evidence shown at trial showed that in May 2018, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation tracked Smith to Scottish Inn & Suites on Gen. Courtney Hodges Boulevard in Perry. At the time, Smith was wanted out of Crisp County on a murder warrant the GBI obtained the day before.

After a warrant was obtained, several law enforcement agencies convened at the hotel in an attempt to capture Smith. The DA’s Office says Smith fired shots from his hotel room, striking one of the officers’ ballistics shields.

Law enforcement deployed chemical munitions similar to tear gas into the room until Smith came out with his hands up.

A search of the room revealed 22 spent 9 mm shell casings.

Smith still has murder charges pending trial in Crisp County, and the State of Georgia has filed notice of its intention to seek the death penalty against Smith in that case.

“Sadly, for some, the comments, criticism and perception of law enforcement don’t account for what the majority know to be true—that the vast majority of law enforcement, especially in Houston County, are exceptional people doing exceptional work, in extremely dangerous situations,” District Attorney William Kendall said. “I am grateful for the hard work by my office, the GBI and officers involved. I am also grateful that the jury returned a verdict that demonstrates the truth and that Judge Lumsden passed down a sentence that will keep this heinous individual out of society. It is nothing short of a miracle coupled with good training and leadership that no one was injured or killed.”

Follow Tucker Sargent on Facebook and Twitter.