United States v. Jones

Martinez, a government informant, arranged for Jones to sell him 20 kilograms of cocaine. At their rendezvous police seized Jones, and in a pat‐down search found a loaded pistol and four 20-bullet magazines. They found an assault rifle in the back seat of Jones’s car, with four 30-bullet magazines, and $353,443 in cash. Pursuant to a warrant, police searched his home and second car, finding another $321,280, more guns and ammunition, a bullet‐proof vest, and a digital scale. There was no evidence of a legal source of the cash. While in jail awaiting trial, he told another prisoner that he never bought less than $100,000 worth of cocaine at a time. Jones was convicted of conspiring (with dealers to whom he had promised Martinez’s cocaine) to possess, with intent to distribute, five or more kilograms of cocaine, and of carrying a gun in connection with drug trafficking. He was sentenced to 270 months, at the top of his guidelines range. The Seventh Circuit affirmed, stating that the cash in the car was “obviously” to purchase cocaine from Martinez, finding that the police had probable cause to suppose that Jones was committing a drug offense, upholding the admission of recordings of Martinez’s conversations with Jones, and upholding the determination that Jones was responsible for more than 50 kilograms of cocaine. View "United States v. Jones" on Justia Law