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A 39-year-old Asbury Park man pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute herioin before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan, according to a news release from U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman.

Jonathan Thomas, known as “Life”, faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence and $1 million fine, and his criminal activity occurred while he was incarcerated, the release stated.

Thomas is charged with conspiring with the Britt-Young DTO heroin suppliers to distribute the drug throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties from September 2013 to March 2014. The Britt-Young, DTO drug trafficking ring is named for its alleged leaders Robert Britt [aka True], and Rufus Young [aka Equan, Money, and Kintock], according to the statement.

In March 2014, 20 alleged members of the drug trafficking ring where charged with conspiring to distribute heroin. Eight have pleaded guilty, the  release stated.

According to court documents, Thomas admitted to supplying 100 to 400 grams of heroin while incarcerated in a New Jersey prison through a consipirator who delivered the drug from New York on Thomas’ behalf.

Below is a copy of the press release in its entirety:

A member of a large-scale drug trafficking organization today admitted conspiring to distribute heroin in Ocean and Monmouth counties and elsewhere in New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Jonathan Thomas, a/k/a “Life,” 39, of Asbury Park, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan in Trenton federal court to an information charging him with one count of conspiring to distribute heroin.

In March 2014, 20 other alleged members of the drug trafficking organization of which Thomas was a member were charged by criminal complaint with conspiring to distribute heroin. The complaint referred to the drug trafficking organization as the “Britt-Young DTO,” after its leaders, Robert Britt, a/k/a “True,” and Rufus Young, a/k/a “Equan,” a/k/a “E-Money,” a/k/a “Kintock.” Of those individuals, eight have pleaded guilty.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Between September 2013 and March 2014, Thomas conspired with others to distribute heroin in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Thomas was one of the Britt-Young DTO’s heroin suppliers. Thomas admitted supplying between 100 and 400 grams of heroin to the Britt-Young DTO during the conspiracy. Although he was incarcerated in New Jersey during the conspiracy, he continued to supply narcotics to the Britt-Young DTO through another conspirator, who picked up heroin from New York City and delivered it on Thomas’ behalf.

The narcotics conspiracy charge to which Thomas pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and $1 million fine. Sentencing is scheduled for June 30, 2015.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, Red Bank Resident Office, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Grippo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

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