Oregon Woman And Man Sentenced For Conspiracy To Distribute Marijuana

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that Jesse Parker and Justin Jones, two 23-year-olds from Bend, Oregon, pled guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance and were sentenced on September 16, 2013, by U.S. District Judge Roberto A. Lange.

Parker was sentenced to 2 years of probation.  Jones was sentenced to 6 months of custody and 2 years of supervised release.  They were each ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and a $100 assessment to the Federal Crime Victims Fund.  In addition, the Court ordered forfeiture of a 1997 Toyota automobile and $11,418 in cash.

In early September of 2012, Jones met with a supplier in Oregon and was fronted approximately 10 pounds of marijuana for $1,000 a pound.  Jones and a co-defendant agreed to deliver the marijuana to a person in Minnesota. The co-defendant, Jones and Parker travelled to Minnesota.  The buyer paid $3,200 a pound for the marijuana and, after setting aside $10,000 of the proceeds to pay the supplier in Oregon, Parker, Jones, and a co-defendant split the remaining $22,000.

On September 15, 2012, a South Dakota Highway Patrol Trooper stopped Jones, Parker, and the co-defendant for speeding in a construction zone. During the traffic stop, the trooper discovered and seized $10,000 in cash that he found in a backpack in the trunk of the car.  The trooper also discovered a ledger in the backpack that contained drug dissemination plans for the past eight months.  Jones’ name was in the back of the ledger.  A thorough search of the vehicle and of Parker’s purse yielded additional cash, psilocybin mushrooms, and various drug paraphernalia.

The investigation was conducted by the Northern Plains Safe Trails Drug Enforcement Task Force.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Jay Miller prosecuted the case. 

Jones will report to the U.S. Marshals Service in Portland, Oregon, on or before September 24, 2013, to begin serving his sentence.