Sonoma Man Sentenced to 21 Years Prison in State Prison for Shooting at Deputy

Defendant Nathan James Smart, 44 years old of Sonoma, was sentenced today by the Honorable Mark Urioste to serve 21 years in state prison after pleading “no contest” last month to charges of assault with a firearm on a peace officer. Under the negotiated agreement, Smart also admitted sentencing enhancements for personal use of a firearm, and for a previous conviction of gross vehicular manslaughter dating back to 1999.

District Attorney Rodriguez noted, “I commend the sheriff’s deputies for keeping the residents of Sonoma safe from Mr. Smart’s dangerous behavior while armed with a homemade firearm.  Mr. Smart’s actions put lives at risk. I am thankful that no one was seriously injured.  Given Mr. Smart’s criminal history and the danger that he presents to the community, the 21-year prison sentence is entirely appropriate.”

The charges resulted from an incident on October 16, 2022, when Smart fired a homemade “zip” gun at Sonoma County Sheriff’s Deputy Justin Clayton. Deputies had been called out to Smart’s residence earlier in the evening, after his mother reported that Smart had threatened to kill her and himself. Smart fled the property before deputies could apprehend him. Later that evening, police received numerous calls about Smart breaking store windows in downtown Sonoma and causing a disturbance outside of Steiner’s bar. When deputies responded, Smart produced a self-made firearm and fired at Deputy Justin Clayton, missing the deputy. Smart was shot by responding deputies and underwent extensive medical treatment at UC Davis before being transferred to the Sonoma County jail. A search of Smart’s residence produced more homemade firearm parts, similar in design to the zip gun used in the shootout with deputies, as well as melted-down objects which appeared to be projectiles for his homemade weapons. In a statement for his pre-sentence report, Smart explained that his goal that night was to commit “suicide by cop.”  

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Martina Kitzmueller. Detective Nicholas Gillotte of the Santa Rosa Police Department’s Violent Crimes Investigations (VCI) Unit headed the investigation.

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