Dothan Man Sentenced to 200 Months for Drugs and Using the Phone to Facilitate a Murder-for-Hire

MONTGOMERY, AL—Quincy Jones, 28 years old, of Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to 200 months in federal prison in two federal cases, announced United States Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama, George L. Beck, Jr. In the first case, Jones was convicted of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and cocaine powder. In the second case, Jones was convicted of using a telephone to facilitate a murder-for-hire.

In January 2011, a federal grand jury indicted Jones and Joseph Roscell Richardson, Rasheed D. Johnson, Reginald R. Bush, Terrence Roscell Bivins, and Joshef Renolda McNealy for conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and cocaine powder. This drug organization sold drugs mainly on the west side of Dothan, Alabama. As part of the investigation, FBI utilized a confidential informant to make purchases of crack cocaine and cocaine powder from the members of this drug organization. Once Jones was arrested on the indictment, he was detained at the Montgomery City jail. There, he devised a plot to kill the confidential informant who aided in this drug investigation. Jones believed that if the informant was dead, his charges would be dropped. Jones shared his murderous plan with his cellmate, who ultimately informed law enforcement. To further his plan, Jones used the jail telephone to call his sister. During those phone calls, Jones attempted to get his sister to pay a “hitman.” Ultimately, the Federal Bureau of Investigation intervened and put a halt to Jones’ plans for murder.

Jones pleaded guilty to the conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and cocaine powder on September 19, 2011. On September 6, 2012, Jones pled guilty to an Information charging him with using the telephone to facilitate a murder for hire.

Chief United States District Judge Keith Watkins sentenced Jones to 200 months in federal prison on the conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and cocaine powder. He further sentenced Jones to the statutory maximum sentence of 120 months for the use of a telecommunication device in furtherance of a murder-for-hire. Judge Watkins ordered that those two sentences be run concurrently or at the same time. Once Jones is released from prison, he will also have to serve a period of five years of supervised release. Jones remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending placement by the Bureau of Prisons.

Prior to Jones’ sentencing, his co-defendants were sentenced for the conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute crack cocaine and cocaine powder. Judge Watkins sentenced Jones’ co-defendants as follows: Joseph Roscell Richardson, 40, of Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release; Rasheed D. Johnson, 31, of Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release; Reginald R. Bush, 40, of Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release; Terrence Roscell Bivins, 30, of Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release; and Joshef Renolda McNealey, 41, of Dothan, Alabama, was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. There is no parole from federal prison.

“It is always a travesty when people profit from the misery of others,” stated U.S. Attorney Beck. “This group of people spread misery and the poison of illegal drugs in their own community. This poison ruined individual lives, families, and the community as a whole. It is indefensible to commit such actions. But, not only did Quincy Jones spread the poison of illegal drugs, he attempted to take life of another person who was trying to clean up Jones’ community, the west side of Dothan. This sentence shows that the citizens of the Middle District will not tolerate the spread of this poison and the attempt to take the life of another person.”

FBI Mobile Special Agent in Charge, Stephen Richardson stated, “The collaborative efforts of law enforcement in this investigation have once again ensured that illegal drugs and threats against those who work with law enforcement will not be tolerated by our society. This investigation is a clear example of the FBI’s determination to continue to target those who traffic narcotics and threaten our society.”

“This is an excellent example of local law enforcement working hand-in-hand with federal authorities to target career criminals,” stated Dothan Police Chief Greg Benton. “It is proof positive that hard work and cooperation between agencies makes our cities safer.”

This case was investigated jointly by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, and the Dothan Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Clark Morris prosecuted the case.