FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

TUESDAY - October 20, 2009

WILSON DRUG DEALER RECEIVES FEDERAL SENTENCE

NEW BERN - United States Attorney George E.B. Holding announced that in federal court on September 18, 2009, Chief United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced MICHAEL DEMONTE JONES, 41, of Wilson, North Carolina, to 180 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on December 30, 2008. On March 3, 2009, JONES pled guilty to the possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of cocaine base (crack).

In March, 2008, law enforcement arranged for a controlled buy of crack cocaine from JONES. On March 18, 2008, officers stopped JONES stemming from a report that a vehicle similar to that of JONES’ had driven from a gas station without paying for the fuel that had been dispensed. During the stopJONES appeared to be nervous. When one officer neared the vehicle, he detected the scent of marijuana. Officers told JONES that he would be detained and as one of the officers went to retrieve his K-9, the other officer asked JONES to put his hands on the vehicle so that he could be cuffed. Instead, JONES quickly shoved his hands into his pockets, dropped a package from his pants and ran. The officers pursued and captured JONES. Marijuana was found on JONES and a search of the area where he had dropped the package turned up 51.5 grams of crack cocaine. JONES later admitted that he had been selling crack sine 1987.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Agency, the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office and the Wilson Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michael G. James represented the government.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s web page at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce within 48 hours of release.