Federal Felon Pleads Guilty to New Drug and Firearm Offenses

BOSTON – A Haverhill man, with prior criminal convictions in New York, pleaded guilty recently in U.S. District Court in Boston to drug and firearm offenses.

Gamal Jones, 37, pleaded guilty on Friday, April 7, 2017, to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and three counts of distribution of a controlled substance. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for July 6, 2017.

On Jan. 14, 2016, Jones was arrested following an investigation into cocaine distribution in Haverhill. Jones was found in possession of over 80 grams of crack cocaine, a Taurus .45 caliber handgun and a box of .45 caliber ammunition. Jones was previously convicted in federal court in Brooklyn, N.Y., for being a felon in possession of a firearm, in addition to prior convictions for criminal possession of a controlled substance, criminal possession of a loaded firearm, and assault in the third degree.

The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of distribution of a controlled substance provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nicholas Soivilien and John T. McNeil of Weinreb’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.