REIORDAN JONES, 34, of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Seattle to 15 years in prison and eight years of supervised release for five counts of Distribution of Crack Cocaine. JONES was convicted by a jury March 3, 2008, following a two and a half day jury trial. The jury deliberated about two hours. U.S. District Judge James L. Robart said at sentencing that given JONES’ extensive criminal history, he was “simply a drug dealer.”

According to records filed in the case, on five separate occasions JONES sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). JONES met his customers in Club Chocolate City, a now-defunct Seattle nightclub that was a notorious hangout for drug dealers. Club Chocolate City, which was known for years as Deano’s, closed in February 2007. The location was well known to law enforcement as a place where drug dealers congregated and sold to customers. Acting on complaints from the community, DEA and the Seattle Police targeted the club for the undercover investigation.

At trial prosecutors played video and audio tapes of JONES making the drug sales to the informant. At trial JONES attempted to claim that he was not the person depicted in the video. However, at the time of his arrest JONES was shown still photos made from the video and he exclaimed “That’s me!”

In their sentencing memo, prosecutors noted JONES lengthy and violent criminal history. He has twenty-three prior convictions including an assault conviction when he was 18-years-old. In that case he fired shots at a couple as they drove away following an argument. Only one month after being released from prison for that assault, JONES attempted an armed robbery where the victim was also armed. JONES was shot three times, and sentenced to ten years in prison. Prosecutors urged a long sentence to protect the public. “So far, nothing – not twenty three convictions, not long jail sentences, not even bullets – has stopped Jones from breaking the law,” Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion wrote in his sentencing memo.

Two other defendants have already been sentenced in connection with dealing cocaine at Club Chocolate City. KNUTE GOLIDY, 32, of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced January 7, 2008, to 70 months in prison and five years of supervised release. DEBBIE ANN WILSON of Seattle, pleaded guilty in August 2007, and was sentenced January 14, 2008 to five years in prison and five years of supervised release for three counts of Distributing Crack Cocaine.

The cases were investigated by the DEA and the Seattle Police Department, with assistance from the King County Prosecutor’s Office. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Dion and Kelly Harris.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.

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