A Portland man has been sentenced to two years behind bars for peddling drugs to teenagers at a local high school. Jonathan Ash Clark, 43, was handed the prison term after pleading guilty to a felony charge of distributing a controlled substance to a person under age 21.
U.S. District Judge Marco A. Hernandez gave Clark the sentence, noting the challenges high school students already face, "The last thing that they need is a 43-year-old man distributing illegal substances to them," Hernandez said, as per OregonLive. Clark's attorney had argued for a time-served sentence, citing his client's mental health treatment for bipolar disorder, and his use of drugs and alcohol as self-medication.
Details of the case emerged after school officials from Cleveland High School expressed concern on September 28, 2022, about a missing student last seen with Clark, who was suspected of providing drugs to pupils. The 16-year-old was spotted with Clark at a park near the school, leading to his arrest and the discovery of drugs in his backpack. This case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and PPB. It was prosecuted by Scott M. Kerin, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon according to the Department of Justice.
The investigation revealed Clark peddled substances including cocaine, ecstasy, and ketamine to at least five students, reported by OregonLive. It also implicated Clark in using a student to distribute drugs on his behalf and even hosting parties for students at his residence. With a background as a Reed College graduate with studies in multiple disciplines, Clark had met the students at an open-mic event that was not age-restrictive.
