Jason Simpson, Cocaine Trafficking, Rhode Island 2019

A Woonsocket barber who admitted to preparing and selling crack cocaine in and around his barbershop was sentenced today to five years in federal prison.

Jason Simpson, 34, pleaded guilty on October 9, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base.

The investigation into Simpson's alleged drug dealing began in March 2019, when members of the FBI's Safe Streets Violent Gang Task Force opened an investigation into Simpson and two other men, James Ruth, 31, and Sean Breton, 27.

Agents and officers executed a court-authorized search of Simpson's barbershop on July 2, 2019, and seized a 9mm pistol and two pistol magazines with ammunition, which were found hidden inside a printer.

The investigation included electronically monitored controlled purchases of more than 41 grams of crack cocaine.

At sentencing today, U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith sentenced Simpson to 60 months incarceration to be followed by four years supervised release.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine D. Lowell and Sandra R. Hebert.

James Ruth pleaded guilty on October 22, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base, conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine base, and four counts of distribution of cocaine base. He was sentenced on February 6, 2020, to 77 months in federal prison.

Sean Breton pleaded guilty on November 8, 2019, to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine base. He is awaiting sentencing.

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ri/pr/woonsocket-barber-sentenced-trafficking-cocaine