TRENTON, NJ—A member of a large-scale drug trafficking organization today admitted conspiring to distribute heroin in Ocean and Monmouth counties and elsewhere in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Jonathan Thomas, a/k/a “Life,” 39, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute heroin.

In March 2014, 20 other alleged members of the drug trafficking organization of which Thomas was a member were charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute heroin. The complaint referred to the drug trafficking organization as the “Britt-Young DTO,” after its leaders, Robert Britt, a/k/a “True,” and Rufus Young, a/k/a “Equan,” a/k/a “E-Money,” a/k/a “Kintock.” Of those individuals, eight have pleaded guilty.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Between September 2013 and March 2014, Thomas conspired with others to distribute heroin in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Thomas was one of the Britt-Young DTO’s heroin suppliers. Thomas admitted supplying between 100 and 400 grams of heroin to the Britt-Young DTO during the conspiracy. Although he was incarcerated in New Jersey during the conspiracy, he continued to supply narcotics to the Britt-Young DTO through another conspirator, who picked up heroin from New York City and delivered it on Thomas’ behalf.

The narcotics conspiracy charge to which Thomas pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $1 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 30, 2015.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, Red Bank Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Grippo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.