A 44-year-old man from La Marque, Smith Henry Jones, has been ordered to spend the next 12 years behind bars for his role in a drug distribution ring. The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Alamdar S. Hamdani on the U.S. Department of Justice website. Jones had previously admitted to the conspiracy to distribute cocaine and "crack" cocaine on February 17, 2022.
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey V. Brown decided to give Jones a 144-month sentence in federal prison, set to be followed immediately by five years of supervised release. Additionally, there was a final order of forfeiture which includes $60,000 in cash and a residential property valued at approximately $250,000. This decision was a part of the continuum of the American criminal justice system that aims to abruptly stop those who perpetuate the cycle of drug trafficking within communities.
From February 2017 to February 2019, Jones led a group distributing cocaine base in the areas surrounding La Marque and Texas City. His arrest and subsequent conviction were the result of a collaborative effort between the FBI's Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Force and the La Marque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth A. Cusick and Mary Ellen Smyth were recognized for their role in prosecuting the case, as per the press release.
As for Jones, he will remain in custody until he is transferred to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility, a location yet to be determined.
