June 16, 2026 – Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office officials report that on June 9, 2026, at around 2:30 p.m., TNT Detectives were conducting proactive narcotics enforcement in the Columbia area. During this time, a TNT Detective saw Thomas Paul Smith Jr. (age 31) of Sonora, CA, and detained him as he has an active misdemeanor warrant for methamphetamine possession.

Smith admitted to having a loaded Smith and Wesson 9mm semi-automatic firearm in his jeans pocket as well as two grams of methamphetamine in his coin pocket.

Smith was placed under arrest and transported to the Dambacher Detention Center. He was booked for possessing a concealed firearm, possession of a loaded firearm in a public place, possession of methamphetamine, and possession of a controlled substance while armed with a firearm.

Source & photo: Tuolumne County Sheriff's Office