Waterbury Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Heroin

Deirdre M. Daly, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMAR JONES, also known as “Mitch,” 35, of formerly of Ansonia and Waterbury, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 51 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing heroin. JONES also was ordered to perform 80 hours of community service during his term of supervised release.

This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2016, the Ansonia Police Department and DEA received information that JONES was selling heroin in and around Ansonia and Waterbury, and that some of the heroin distributed by Jones had led to a non-fatal overdose. Officers made two controlled purchases of heroin from JONES in March 2016. Based on these sales, on April 14, 2016, Ansonia Police conducted a court-authorized search of JONES’s former residence in Ansonia and seized approximately 66 grams of heroin, 22 grams of crack cocaine, more than $17,000 in cash and three vehicles. JONES was arrested on that date for state narcotics offenses and was released on a $100,000 bond.

While released on bond, JONES continued to distribution heroin. Investigators conducted additional controlled purchases of heroin from JONES, and then from Alvin Lopes when the investigation revealed that he was working with Jones to distribute heroin.

JONES has been detained since his arrest on August 11, 2016. On December 5, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine base (“crack”).

Lopes, of Waterbury, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and, on January 18, 2017, he was sentenced to 27 months of imprisonment.

This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Ansonia Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert M. Spector and Jocelyn Courtney-Kaoutzanis.