Burtchville Twp. man pleads guilty to reduced charges in drug deal gone bad

A Burtchville Township man pleaded guilty to reduced charges Friday for a drug deal gone bad in Port Huron Township last year. 

Joseph Smith pleaded guilty to first-degree home invasion, conspiracy to commit first-degree home invasion and assaulting/resisting/obstructing a police officer. The charges of armed robbery, conspiracy to commit armed robbery and a felony firearms charge will be dismissed at sentencing. 

He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison. 

Smith assaulted and robbed Nathan Chavarria in an alleged drug deal gone bad on June 24, 2020, according to testimony from his co-defendants' examination hearings. 

His co-defendants, Brandon Williams, of Roseville; Joseph Gigliotti, of Washington Township; and Alexandra Dillon, of Warren, are also accused of participating in the robbery. A fourth alleged assailant, 19-year-old Mount Clemens man Jovonte Thurman, died in the incident. 

Smith is scheduled for a sentencing hearing at 1:35 p.m. Aug. 16 before St. Clair County Circuit Court Judge Michael West.

Williams, Gigliotti and Dillon are scheduled to hear a motion to adjourn trial at 3 p.m. Monday. The three were originally scheduled for a jury trial July 27 before West. 

A call to the St. Clair County Public Defender's Office for comment from Smith's attorney was not immediately returned Friday. 

Contact Laura Fitzgerald at (810) 941-7072 or at lfitzgeral@gannett.com.