Man who shot Mississippi County deputy sentenced to 300 months in prison

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — An Illinois man who shot a Mississippi County Sheriff’s Deputy was sentenced to 300 months in federal prison Tuesday.

According to the United States Attorney’s Office, Jonathan Lee Jones, 38, of Mounds, Ill., was received the 300 month sentence following his guilty plea to the offenses of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and discharging a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The sentence was imposed by United States District Judge Stephen N. Limbaugh, Jr. at the federal courthouse in Cape Girardeau, Missouri.

According to court documents, law enforcement officials in Mississippi County obtained a state search warrant authorizing the search of an apartment in Wyatt, Mo., for evidence related to the distribution of methamphetamine. The warrant was executed on the morning of March 10, 2017. Mississippi County Sheriff’s Deputy David Watkins was the first officer to enter the apartment. Immediately after Watkins made entry, Jones discharged a firearm and struck Watkins in the area of his left knee. Officers began returning fire and shot Jones in his chest. After the residence was secured, both Watkins and Jones were transported to a hospital for medical treatment of their gunshot wounds.

During the subsequent search of the residence, officers discovered approximately 90 grams of methamphetamine, weighing scales, six firearms, a cash-counting machine, and $50,019 in

United States currency. As part of his sentence, all of the cash seized by law enforcement officials was forfeited to the government.

This case was investigated by the Mississippi County Sheriff’s Department, the Wyatt Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney Jack Koester handled the prosecution for the government.