Violent Felon Convicted of Carjacking School Bus

BATON ROUGE, LA –United States Attorney Walt Green announced that JOCK R. JONES, 38, formerly of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, was convicted of carjacking, using a firearm in furtherance of the carjacking, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

At trial, the evidence showed that, on the morning of April 14, 2014, JONES attacked an East Baton Rouge Parish School System bus driver outside her home and, at gunpoint, forced the woman to drive her school bus from her home to another location. While forcing the woman onto the bus, JONES pointed his gun at the woman’s two children and threatened to kill them if they called the police.

On July 24, 2014, JONES was indicted by a federal grand jury and charged with one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1), carjacking in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2119(1), and using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c)(1)(A)(ii).

On February 2, 2015, JONES entered a plea of guilty to Count One of the Indictment, which charged him with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Earlier today, JONES proceeded to trial before the Honorable Shelly D. Dick on the remaining two counts. After receiving all of the evidence presented by both parties, the Court found the defendant guilty of Counts Two and Three.

JONES’s sentencing date has not been set, but JONES now faces a substantial term of imprisonment as a result of his convictions for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and carjacking, which will be followed by a mandatory, consecutive sentence of an additional 7 years for using a firearm during the commission of a crime of violence. JONES may also be sentenced to pay significant fines and to forfeit all property involved or used in the commission of the crimes.

U.S. Attorney Green stated: “This defendant, and other violent felons, undermine the safety of our communities and must be held accountable. Today’s verdict does just that. Our communities are now safer without this defendant on the streets. I greatly appreciate the work of the prosecutors, the ATF, and the Baton Rouge Police Department on this important matter.”

This matter was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the Baton Rouge Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Rene I. Salomon and Jessica M.P. Thornhill.