News
Release Midland Trafficker Sentenced to 504 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering FEB 24 - MIDLAND – Jody Thomas, aka Capone, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert Junell to 504 months (42 years) for drug trafficking, fraud, theft, retaliation, and money laundering related to his drug trafficking activities. Thomas was found guilty in October 2009, after a 10-day federal jury trial, of one count of Conspiracy to Possess With Intent to Distribute Fifty grams or more of Crack Cocaine, five counts of Maintaining a Drug Establishment, one count of Money Laundering, one count of Bank Fraud, one count of Aggravated Identity Theft and three counts of Retaliation on a Witness and Possession of a Firearm in furtherance of a Crime of Violence. The retaliation against a witness counts are related to verbal threats and a drive-by shooting at a witnesses’ residence undertaken by associates of Thomas at the direction of Thomas. Prior to the trial, Thomas and his associates attempted to intimidate witnesses by publishing flyers throughout the community with the names of prosecution witnesses whom he referred to as “snitches.” Extra courtroom security and Federal Protection Service personnel, to include the entire staff of the Midland RO, as well as numerous U.S. Marshal’s and Midland Police Department personnel, were brought in to provide security in and outside the courthouse. Thomas has a prior conviction for attempted Capital murder of a police officer stemming from a search warrant executed at his residence in Midland, TX on July 17, 1997. This investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration (Task Force) in Midland and the Midland Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant United States Attorney Kerry Fleck, Western District of Texas, Midland Division. |