Grand Rapids, MI – A Muskegon man who had been released from federal prison just weeks earlier will now spend the next 15 years back behind bars after a federal judge sentenced him for illegally possessing a firearm connected to a shooting investigation.
U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan Timothy VerHey announced Wednesday that Malik Jones-Smith, 30, of Muskegon, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jane M. Beckering to 15 years in federal prison. The sentence stems from a conviction for being a felon in possession of a firearm, along with a violation of the federal supervised release he was serving at the time of the offense. A federal jury found Jones-Smith guilty following a three-day trial on November 13, 2025.
According to prosecutors, the case traces back to the early morning hours of December 28, 2024, after a shooting in Muskegon Heights. Police attempted to stop a van carrying Jones-Smith and another individual, but the vehicle fled from officers before both occupants ran from the scene on foot.
Investigators later recovered a stolen pistol near the van, loaded with a round partially fed in the chamber and another round in the magazine.
Authorities say a search of Jones-Smith’s cell phone revealed key evidence tying him to the firearm. Less than 10 hours before the incident, he had allegedly posted a video on Snapchat showing himself holding the same gun. Investigators also determined that Jones-Smith and the passenger in the van had been involved in the Muskegon Heights shooting.
Federal officials noted that Jones-Smith had only been released from federal custody 16 days earlier. At the time, he was on supervised release following a previous conviction for distributing fentanyl.
Additional videos recovered from Jones-Smith’s phone and Snapchat account showed him with other firearms on earlier dates, including October 30, 2024, while he was still in custody at a Bureau of Prisons halfway house, and again on December 14, 2024, just three days after beginning federal supervised release.
“Jones-Smith got into a shootout a little more than two weeks after being released from prison for his last felony,” U.S. Attorney Timothy VerHey said in a statement. “He deserved to get the maximum possible sentence for this conduct, and that is exactly what he got.”
Muskegon Police Chief Tim Kozal said the sentence reflects a continued push to reduce gun violence in the community.
“Working daily to put an end to gun violence in the Muskegon area is the top priority of our agency,” Kozal said. “This sentencing demonstrates our collective commitment to using all available resources to remove dangerous offenders from the streets.”
Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office, said the case highlights the impact of collaboration between agencies.
“Violent offenders who choose to carry and use firearms do not just destroy communities, they destroy their own futures by putting themselves on a path that leads straight to prison,” Runyan said.
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