Repeat Felon Convicted for Selling Crack at Club Chocolate City

U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
Western District of Washington

700 Stewart Street, Suite 5220 Tel: (206) 553-7970
Seattle, Washington 98101-1271 Fax: (206) 553-0882

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 3, 2008

SEATTLE MAN CONVICTED FOR SELLING CRACK AT NOTORIOUS SEATTLE NIGHTCLUB
Repeat Felon Convicted of Selling Crack at Club Chocolate City – formerly Deano’s

REIORDAN JONES, 34, of Seattle, Washington, was convicted in U.S. District Court in Seattle of five counts of Distribution of Crack Cocaine. The jury deliberated about two hours following a two and a half day jury trial. When sentenced by U.S. District Judge James L. Robart on June 2, 2008, JONES faces up to 40 years in prison.

According to records filed in the case, on five separate occasions JONES sold crack cocaine to a confidential informant working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). JONES met his customers in Club Chocolate City, a now-defunct Seattle nightclub that was a notorious hangout for drug dealers. Club Chocolate City, which was known for years as Deano’s, closed in February 2007. The location was well known to law enforcement as a place where drug dealers congregated and sold to customers. Acting on complaints from the community, DEA and the Seattle Police targeted the club for the undercover investigation.

At trial prosecutors played video and audio tapes of JONES making the drug sales to the informant. At trial JONES attempted to claim that he was not the person depicted in the video. However, at the time of his arrest JONES was shown still photos made from the video and he exclaimed "That’s me!" In closing arguments Assistant United States Attorney Mike Dion said, "Surely Mr. Jones can say when it is Mr. Jones." Dion asked the jury to consider the "simple and powerful" evidence of JONES' drug dealing caught on video tape.

Two other defendants have already been sentenced in connection with dealing cocaine at Club Chocolate City. KNUTE GOLIDY, 32, of Seattle, Washington, was sentenced January 7, 2008, to 70 months in prison and five years of supervised release. DEBBIE ANN WILSON of Seattle, pleaded guilty in August 2007, and was sentenced January 14, 2008 to five years in prison and five years of supervised release for three counts of Distributing Crack Cocaine.

The cases were investigated by the DEA and the Seattle Police Department, with assistance from the King County Prosecutor’s Office. The cases were prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Dion and Kelly Harris.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.