A former U.S. Navy SEAL has been arrested and accused of participating in a national drug smuggling operation, according to a story by The State.
James Dennis "J.D." Smith, 49, was accused of conspiring to distribute more than 1,500 pounds of marijuana over the past three years. If convicted, he could face up to 40 years in federal prison. Two others, Carl and Bryon Rye, were also arrested in the raid and face the same charges. Smith was arrested in Charlotte on Saturday while the two brothers were apprehended in Columbia, South Carolina later that same day.
Smith was a SEAL for 16 years until he was recruited to work for the CIA. He earned a Bronze Star with V for heroism in combat as well as the Special Operations Medic of the Year award while he was serving as a SEAL in Iraq, according to The State.
According to The State, some of the marijuana which allegedly belonged to Carl Rye was acquired legally in California, but was marked "unlawful to redistribute."
Smith allegedly supplied the Rye brothers with the marijuana, according to the criminal complaint. The Rye brothers would then sell the drug throughout South Carolina, said The State's story. The federal Drug Enforcement Agency has been investigating Smith and the Rye brothers for about three years, according to the report.
All three were arraigned in federal court on Monday and are being held without bond.
