Spokane Fentanyl and Methamphetamine Distributor Sentenced to 235 Months in Federal Prison

SPOKANE, WASHINGTON – Yesterday, May 17, 2023, U.S. District Judge Thomas O. Rice
sentenced Jerami W. Jones, 43, of Spokane, Washington, to 235 months in federal prison for
possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and for the illegal possession of
multiple firearms. District Judge Rice also ordered Jones to serve five years on federal supervision
after he is released from prison.

According to court documents, law enforcement officers assigned to the Federal Bureau of
Investigation Spokane Regional Safe Streets Task Force obtained a search warrant to search property
connected with Jones. At the time of the search, Jones was serving a term of community custody in
Washington state court. Around this time, Jones’s supervising probation officer made arrangements
to meet with Jones. Upon Jones’s arrival, members of the Safe Streets Task Force detained Jones
and conducted a search of his person and vehicle. While searching Jones’s vehicle, the law
enforcement team located approximately 2,200 fentanyl-laced pills and four ounces of heroin.

At the same time as the search of Jones’s person, other law enforcement officers executed a search
warrant of Jones’s residence and separate trailer. There, law enforcement located approximately two
pounds of methamphetamine, 7,000 fentanyl pills, and eight firearms. Three of the firearms had
previously been reported as stolen. Law enforcement officers also recovered more than $21,000 in
U.S. currency.

United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref, the chief law enforcement officer for the Eastern District
of Washington, stated, “Today’s significant sentence demonstrates the breadth and seriousness of
Mr. Jones’s drug trafficking activities. I’m grateful for our incredible law enforcement team, who
devote their lives to protecting our community. I commend our Safe Streets Task Force whose work
combatting organized crime and removing illegal drugs and stolen firearms strengthens our
communities.”

“Traffickers like Mr. Jones bring drugs into our towns and cities with no regard to the damage they
do to the citizens who live there.” said Richard A. Collodi, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s
Seattle field office. “These are the same citizens the FBI and our partners are sworn to protect. Mr.
Jones’s nearly twenty-year sentence demonstrates the serious consequences of distributing these
poisons into our communities and the repercussions of his continued criminal activity while serving
on state probation.”

This case was prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program. PSN is a federal,
state, and local law enforcement collaboration to identify, investigate, and prosecute individuals
responsible for violent crimes in our neighborhoods. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with                                                                 federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for                                             violent crime in the Eastern Spokane Police Department.                             

This case was prosecuted by Patrick J. Cashman and Stephanie Van Marter, Assistant United States                                                 Attorneys for the Eastern District of Washington.

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