Man Gets 15 Years to Life in Killing

A 23-year-old Pacoima man was sentenced Monday to 15 years to life in prison in the shooting death of the girlfriend of a reputed San Fernando Valley drug czar.

Vincent Williams pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in San Fernando Superior Court in the Feb. 14 shooting death of Michelle Smith, 18. Williams turned himself in to police soon after Smith’s body was found in the Sylmar motel room where she lived in the 13100 block of San Fernando Road, Deputy Dist. Atty. Sid D. Trapp said.

Smith died of one shotgun blast to the chest. Williams had argued with the victim before the shooting, but the exact motive for the slaying was not clear, Trapp said.

As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Williams was sentenced to 15 years to life in prison for the slaying.

Trapp said the victim was the girlfriend of Stanley Bryant, who authorities say operates a sophisticated Valley drug organization with his older brother, Jeff Bryant.

Stanley Bryant is in Los Angeles County Jail awaiting trial on murder charges in the Aug. 28 slaying of four people at a Lake View Terrace “rock” house owned by his brother. Jeff Bryant is serving the final months of a four-year sentence for operating a drug center at the house.

Williams’ defense attorney, Alan Budde, asked the court Monday to consider putting his client in a high-security unit in state prison. He said that because of Smith’s relations with Stanley Bryant, Williams has been the target of several attacks at County Jail.