News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 7, 2004

Luke Jones Sentenced to Multiple Lifetime Terms of Imprisonment

Bridgeport, Connecticut….Mark R. Trouville, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration in New England and United States Attorney Kevin J. O’Conner, announced this afternoon that Senior United States District Judge Alan H. Nevas sentenced Luke JONES, age 35, to four lifetime terms of imprisonment, and two ten-year terms of imprisonment.

Following a two week trial, Luke JONES was convicted on October 30, 2003 of Racketeering or “RICO”, RICO conspiracy; committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering (“VICAR”), namely the November 27, 1998 murder of Monteneal Lawrence; the January 20, 1999 conspiracy to murder Lawson Day; the June 26, 1999 conspiracy to murder Anthony Scott; the use of a firearm in relation to the murder of Monteneal Lawrence; and two conspiracies to possess with intent to distribute narcotics involving more than 1,000 grams of heroin, 5,000 grams or more of cocaine and 50 grams or more of crack cocaine. Senior Judge Nevas later dismissed the murder conviction finding that there was insufficient evidence that the murder was connected to JONE’s participation in Racketeering activity. This ruling by the Court mad Luke Jones ineligible for the death penalty to which he was otherwise exposed.

Luke JONES was sentenced to two lifetime terms of imprisonment for the narcotics trafficking conspiracies. In addition, he received lifetime terms of imprisonment for each of the Racketeering and Racketeering Conspiracy charges. He received two ten-year terms of imprisonment for his participation in conspiracies to murder Lawson Day, one of his former street-level drug sellers, and Anthony Scott, the reputed member of a rival drug trafficking organization.

Luke JONES is also presently serving a ten-year term of imprisonment previously imposed by Senior Judge Nevas for possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon.

The indictments and dispositions to date are the result of outstanding cooperative efforts by special agents of the DEA and FBI and members of the Bridgeport Police Department assigned to DEA and FBI Task Forces, and with cooperation from the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Connecticut Department of Corrections, Security Division. Special Agents of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations Division also participated in the investigations and prosecutions.

The DEA and FBI Bridgeport Task Forces are comprised of federal, state and local law enforcement, including the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Unites States Marshal’s Service, the Connecticut State Police, Statewide Narcotics Task Force – Southwest, and the Bridgeport, investigators from the State’s Attorney’s Office in Bridgeport, and members of the New York City Police Department have also assisted in the investigations and prosecutions.

The New England Field Division Intelligence Unit Group Supervisors Mary Ellen Trouville and Mary McCarthy teamed up with the Salvation Army to help bring some Christmas joy to children who otherwise would have gone without presents this Christmas. The giving tree had the names of 60 needy children who had wished for items from socks to toy trucks. The success of this program was made possible by the generosity of the New England Field Division employees and the inspiration of Mary McCarthy and Mary Ellen Trouville.