By Steven Dubois
Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. — A felon whose pistol was used in the February slaying of a Seaside police sergeant will spend at least five years in prison after pleading guilty to federal charges Wednesday.
Jamie Lee Jones, 46, admitted to U.S. District Judge Michael Simon that he possessed about 20 grams of methamphetamine with intent to sell and had a firearm while selling heroin.
Other charges are being dropped in a plea agreement, including allegations he threatened witnesses to keep them from cooperating with investigators after Sgt. Jason Goodding was shot underneath his ballistic vest while trying to make an arrest in downtown Seaside.
Goodding’s fellow officer returned fire, killing Phillip Ferry, a 55-year-old transient and drug user.
Investigators linked the gun to Jones by happenstance the morning after the Feb. 5 shooting. Police responded to Jones’ house on a noise disturbance and noticed a single round of ammunition on the ground. It was the same brand used to kill Goodding.
“Eyewitnesses reported that on the night Sgt. Gooding was killed, Mr. Ferry took one of two firearms from Mr. Jones — who at the time was passed out — and headed to town,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Gary Sussman said.
When he awoke, Jones noticed the pistol was gone along with some meth.
“Mr. Jones became very angry,” Sussman said. “There was an outburst in which he punched one of his drug customers in the face and fired a second firearm in the direction of several others.”
Jones did not make a statement in court, other than answering questions from the judge.
Prosecutors and defense attorney Gerald Needham plan to jointly recommend a sentence of five years on the gun charge. The government will recommend an additional seven years on the drug charge. Needham will seek a lighter punishment.
Jones was born in Las Vegas and has an extensive criminal record in Nevada, including convictions for grand larceny auto, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of a firearm by a felon, attempted possession of stolen property and escape.
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