A man has been sentenced to a combined 25 years in prison in connection with shooting and drug trafficking cases.Â
The Washoe County District Attorney's Office says Joel Constantino-Smith was given 10 years in prison with parole eligibility after 4 years for the battery with a deadly weapon conviction, stemming from a shooting in a smoke shop, and 15 years with parole eligibility after 6 years for getting caught with eight pounds of Schedule I psilocybin mushrooms, both in 2025.
The sentences will run consecutively.
Reno Police responded to the Mid Town Smoke Shop in May of last year after receiving a 911 call about an incident there. When officers arrived, they learned a fight had erupted inside the store between two men and a display case had been broken. Later that same day, a man arrived at Renown Medical Center with a gunshot wound but wouldn’t say what had happened. Officers learned that the man had gotten into a fight with Constantino-Smith inside the smoke shop. After the initial fist fight, prosecutor say Constantino-Smith showed a handgun and shot the victim twice, hitting him in the back as he fled. Constantino-Smith did not remain on scene and police began efforts to find him.
The following month, officers from the Reno Police Department found Constantino-Smith leaving his home in a car. In addition to being wanted for the shooting, prosecutors say police were also aware that Constantino-Smith was involved in narcotics dealing due to a Secret Witness tip and other investigation. Authorities say a search of his car uncovered a Glock handgun magazine, and eight packages of psilocybin mushrooms, equaling 3,630 grams, or more than 2000 doses. As a result, Constantino was arrested for the initial shooting as well as drug trafficking charges for the mushrooms.
(Washoe County District Attorney's Office contributed to this report)
