Arminius D. Jones, Fentanyl Trafficking, Wisconsin 2024

MADISON, WIS. – In a shocking case of fentanyl trafficking, 49-year-old Arminius D. Jones of Madison, Wisconsin, was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison for distributing fentanyl and possessing 40 grams or more of the deadly drug intended for distribution.

According to the investigation, between May 15, 2024, and July 1, 2024, Jones sold fentanyl pills to an undercover police officer in Madison, Wisconsin, on three occasions. On July 9, 2024, police searched his home in Madison and found approximately 7,000 fentanyl pills, money from Jones’s sales to the undercover officer, over $2,000 in additional cash, and multiple digital scales and drug ledgers.

At sentencing, Chief U.S. District Judge James D. Peterson found that the level of drug dealing Jones engaged in surpassed supporting a substance abuse habit. He also found the gap in Jones’s criminal history exposed his vulnerability to returning to crime even after a long time. Judge Peterson was also very concerned about the dangers posed from dealing fentanyl in terms of its potential for addiction and overdose, and he expressed disappointment in the way Jones fed on the illnesses of others.

Jones’s possession of a gun was an aggravating factor and showed he was aware of the potential for violence and that violence is a natural corollary when a gun is present. Police also found a handgun, a loaded extended magazine, and multiple boxes of ammunition within arm’s reach of the drugs.

The charges against Jones were the result of an investigation conducted by the Dane County Narcotics Task Force, City of Madison Police Department, and the ATF Madison Crime Gun Task Force, which consists of federal agents from ATF and Task Force Officers from state and local agencies throughout the Western District of Wisconsin. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Ayala prosecuted this case.

Arminius D. Jones pleaded guilty to the charges on March 21, 2025. The case highlights the ongoing struggle against fentanyl trafficking in Wisconsin and the importance of law enforcement’s efforts to combat this deadly crime.

In a statement, U.S. Attorney Timothy M. O’Shea said, ‘We will continue to work tirelessly to hold individuals accountable for their role in perpetuating this devastating epidemic.

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