A Portsmouth man with a recent felony drug conviction is back in custody after being arrested on what appears to be a new charge of Having Weapons While Under Disability however it remains unclear if this charge is related to his current open case.
According to booking records, Demetrius D. Smith, was booked into the Scioto County jail on June 26, 2026, on a charge of Having Weapons While Under Disability, a felony offense under Ohio law.
The arrest comes just weeks after Smith’s felony drug trafficking case was resolved in Scioto County Common Pleas Court.
Court records show Smith was originally indicted on multiple felony charges, including:
- Trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound (F2)
- Possession of a fentanyl-related compound (F2)
- Trafficking in cocaine (F4)
- Possession of cocaine (F4)
- Having Weapons While Under Disability (F3)
The case concluded on June 4, 2026. Records indicate the trafficking charges and the weapons-under-disability charge were dismissed, while Smith was convicted on a lesser offense related to attempted possession of a fentanyl-related compound and was also found guilty of possession of cocaine.
Less than a month later, Smith was again taken into custody, this time facing what appears to be another charge of Having Weapons While Under Disability.
Under Ohio law, a person can be prohibited from possessing a firearm due to certain felony convictions or other disqualifying circumstances. The offense is generally charged as a third-degree felony.
Additional details surrounding the circumstances of the new arrest have not yet been released.
As with all criminal cases, the charge remains an allegation, and Smith is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.
As more information becomes publicly accessible, Hopewell Heritage Headlines will continue to investigate if this current arrest of Mr. Smith is a connection to his open case in Scioto County or a new charge.
