Defendant Linked to Murder of Seaside Police Sergeant Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison

PORTLAND, Ore. – On Monday, March 27, 2017, Jamie Lee Jones, 45, a former resident of Nevada, was sentenced to twelve years in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Michael H. Simon. Jones had previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. Jones was living in Seaside, Oregon in early February 2016 during the time of the alleged offenses.

Jones’s federal charges stemmed from a multi-agency investigation tracing the firearm used in the February 5, 2016 homicide of Seaside Police Sergeant Jason Goodding. On the evening of February 5, Seaside resident Phil Ferry shot and killed Sergeant Goodding using a .380 caliber Davis P380 pistol. During the shootout, another Seaside officer shot and killed Ferry. ATF agents worked with local law enforcement officers to investigate how Ferry had obtained the .380 caliber pistol. Their investigation ultimately led to Jones.

“The tragic and senseless death of Sergeant Gooding underscores the very real danger law enforcement officers face every day while faithfully serving their communities,” said Billy J. Williams, United States Attorney for the District of Oregon. “We owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Sergeant Goodding for his service and his loved ones for their incredible sacrifice. It is maddening to know that criminals involved in drug trafficking and the illegal possession of firearms continue to present a danger to our communities. I want to thank ATF and the local law enforcement agencies who pursued this investigation,” continued U.S. Attorney Williams. “We will continue to work with our local, state, tribal and federal law enforcement partners to identify the most effective legal venue (federal or state) to ensure an appropriate penalty for these types of offenders. It is our sincere hope that this sentence will offer some measure of justice – albeit small – to Sergeant Goodding’s family and the Seaside community.”

“The murder of Sgt. Goodding was a tragedy. ATF is proud to have been able to work alongside our partner agencies to identify and bring Jamie Lee Jones to justice,” said ATF Seattle Field Division Special Agent in Charge Darek Pleasants. “The men and women of ATF work tirelessly to rid our communities of the scourge of violence and those criminals like Jamie Lee Jones, whose lawless actions contributed to the death of a law enforcement officer.”

Interviews with informants and tips from the Seaside community indicated that Ferry stole one of two firearms Jones possessed while he was asleep at a local drug house. Jones was furious when he woke to discover that someone had stolen one of his firearms and his methamphetamine. Jones then punched a nearby drug customer, fired his second firearm in the direction of several other residents and warned them not to talk to police. Neighbors called police to report the shots fired, but all the guests and residents had fled prior to their arrival.

Investigators obtained search warrants for Jones’s Seaside apartment and vehicle and seized distribution quantities of methamphetamine, a digital scale, packaging material and two cell phones. Jones admitted he knew Ferry, and that he and Ferry had a disagreement about Ferry’s owing Jones a drug debt. Later, investigators obtained a search warrant to examine Jones’s phones where they found messages related to drug trafficking and sales.

In a message dated February 3, 2016, a customer advised Jones, “I’ll be by at five thirty with the pistol. Erase this text.” Investigators identified this customer and interviewed him regarding the transfer of a firearm to Jones. The customer admitted to being a heroin addict and to purchasing small quantities of heroin from Jones. The customer explained that on February 3, 2016, while desperately ill from heroin withdrawal, he agreed to trade a .357 caliber revolver with Jones for less than a gram of heroin.

In light of Jones’s violent conviction history dating back to the early 1990s and his use of violence to traffic drugs, including discharging a firearm at and toward witnesses, the government urged the court to impose a 12-year sentence. According to the prosecutor, “Drug trafficking is a very dangerous business to those who choose to engage in it and, as this case illustrates, can have devastating consequences to many others, even those who devote their lives to protecting our communities.”

Multiple agencies participated in the investigation of this case, including the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office, Major Crimes Team, and District Attorney’s Office; the Cannon Beach, Seaside, and Astoria Police Departments; the Oregon State Police, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.

The case was prosecuted by Leah K. Bolstad, Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Oregon.